The path led them to an opening space, a large blank space. The mist was thinner and Regan could see it was surrounded by tall ancient monoliths. They loomed over, and were genuinely frightening.
In the middle of the area, there was a ship, a flying one. It looked like a private jet, just without long arms. More like some sort of spaceship vessel.
"And now we're going to get there, aren't we?" Regan said, her voice dripping with disdain. Sirius merely shrugged.
The vessel, or whatever it was, was unlike anything Regan had ever seen. Its sleek, metallic exterior glinted in the dim light, and its design seemed to blend elements of both magic and technology. As they drew closer, she could see that it was adorned with symbols and glowing runes, pulsating with an eerie energy.
Octavia's expression was stifled with fear and anger as they were led to the peculiar flying vessel. They now saw that the whole area was guarded by several figures dressed in military attire. As she drew closer, she saw his general, Vlad, standing before the ship's entrance, a stern expression on his face. Regan remembered where he once had asked her if she had any problems, but he didn't seem any different from Sirius, save for his appearance.
Sirius walked up to Vlad, the two exchanging a few words before Vlad nodded curtly. The ship's entrance slid open, revealing a dimly lit interior with strange symbols etched into the walls and floor. Sirius gestured for them to enter and then followed behind, his smugness growing with each of their step. Regan glared up at him, cursing under her breath, "Keep laughing, you idiot. You think you've got the upper hand, but you don't know what I'm capable of."
Her mother squeezed her shoulder in response, but it was a weak gesture, filled with resignation. As they were led deeper into the ship, Octavia whispered to Regan, "Be strong, my darling. We'll find a way out of this. I promise."
The ship's interior was divided into several compartments, each more opulent than the last. It was brightly lit, with comfortable seats in white and gold. The walls were white with some tv like devices hanging on them and the windows were like those of a regular airplane.
"Well, well, now why don't you both have a seat?" Sirius's voice pierced through the opulent cabin of the strange ship.
"Well, well, now why don't you fuck off?" Regan retorted through gritted teeth. Before she could argue further, her mother took her hand and guided her to sit in the two empty seats across from them. As the couch's surface made contact with her back, a piercing pain coursed through her, and she remembered the fight with the lion like men. She leaned a bit forward, hoping that her mother or he didn't notice.
Sirius sat down in the one opposite them, his smirk never leaving his face. Her face was red with anger, gripping her sword tightly. She wanted to slap him and his grin away, but she held back.
Sirius looked at Regan, his gaze piercing through her soul, "You know, you should better calm down, Regan. You're as red as your hair," he teased. "And you should try to relax in your seat."
Octavia took a deep breath, answering him instead, "Sirius, you better mind your own business. Leave my daughter alone." She shot him a glare that could kill, her hands shaking in anger.
Sirius chuckled, "Oh, queen Octavia. You never change." He turned his attention back to Regan, "But Regan, you're acting a bit weird now, aren't you?"
The words stung, and Regan was boiling inside. She knew her mother was rather calm but she hated him so much that she had no idea if it was measurable or not. And that made her question how much she hated him. But she didn't answer. She crossed her arms, clenching her jaw.
He motioned to a girl in an uniform who Regan and her mom hadn't even noticed until now. The girl smiled and walked over. He spoke to the girl for a moment before she nodded and walked away. Sirius leaned back in his seat, his grin growing wider. Regan couldn't shake the surge of anger that coursed through her.
The ship lurched forward, the engines humming softly as they ascended into the air. Regan glanced out the window, feeling a sense of disorientation as the landscape beneath them shifted and changed. They were going high above the clouds, the landscape like a dead mass of grey stone.
She couldn't help but feel awkward by Sirius's presence, while her mother Octavia was just staring at him, a mixture of anger, fear, and disappointment filling her eyes. Regan wished he could go sit somewhere else, not right in front of them.
The girl in uniform turned back, holding two trays of food and drinks. She pressed a button somewhere on the ship's wall and a platform appeared floating in front of Regan and her mother, making them both jump slightly. "Your meal," she announced, placing the trays down on the platform. Sirius smiled as he watched them.
"What about you, master?" Her voice was sleek and sweet and Regan fought the urge to swear out loud.
"Wine."
The girl nodded, pouring a glass from one of the bottles on the tray. She handed it to Sirius, who took a sip before glancing at Regan and her mother. "You two can eat first. I'll wait." He smirked, taking another sip of his wine.
"I'm not hungry," Regan hissed through gritted teeth. She was dying to eat but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"Oh, come now, Princess. You've got to keep your strength up." Sirius insisted, leaning forward slightly. "Besides, if you don't eat, you might faint. And you know what happens then? You fall into my arms, like you did before. And I don't think you want that." He winked at her, his smirk growing even wider.
Octavia growled under her breath, her anger rising as she glared at Sirius. "Leave her alone, Sirius. You have no idea what you're saying. If you dare touch her again..." Her words trailed off, but the threat hung heavy in the air.
"Alright, alright," Sirius said, shaking his head.
Octavia took the meal and told Regan to eat as well but Regan was way too angry to even think about food. She wanted to hurt Sirius, wanted to make him pay for what he'd done to them. The anger inside her was so strong, so consuming, that she felt like she was going to explode.
"Sweetie, eat something," Octavia urged, her voice gentle despite the anger in her eyes. "You need your strength." Regan loked at her mother, feeling a pang of guilt at the worry in her expression. But she couldn't make herself eat his food. He'd just be even more pleased if she did.
The ship continued to ascend higher, the air growing colder and thinner. Regan watched out of the window, looking how the view had turned all black with only a few stars visible, the clouds far below. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. She wished she could enjoy it without Sirius there. She had just found her mother but he wasn't leaving them alone.
"Regan eat, please. Don't mind him. He just wants your attention, can't you see?" Octavia whispered, her voice barely audible. Regan glanced at her mother, feeling a stab of guilt as she saw the pain and fear in her eyes. She didn't even know why her mother thought Sirius wanted her attention. She hadn't thought it in that way. She had thought it was just to make her mad and furious, to make her feel powerless. But now she wasn't so sure.
Sirius smiled, taking another sip of his wine. He leaned back in his seat, watching them both intently. His general, Vlad appeared from behind him and told him something in the ear. Sirius nodded and got up. He left the compartment, closing the door behind him.
"Finally." Octavia sighed in relief, leaning back in her seat. "Sweetie, eat now. You haven't eaten for days." She tried to force a reassuring smile. Regan couldn't help but listen to her mother, feeling the weight of her words. She knew Octavia was right, she needed to keep her strength up. But it was hard, with Sirius always there, always watching her, always making her feel...
She forced herself to pick up her fork, staring at the food on her tray. It smelled delicious, and she knew it would taste even better. She took a bite, savoring the flavors as they exploded in her mouth. Octavia smiled at her, obviously relieved to see her eating.
"So," Octavia said, trying to make conversation, "tell me about your life, sweetie. Where have you lived all these years? How have you been surviving?"
She looked at Regan expectantly, her blue eyes full of hope and curiosity. Regan swallowed her food, thinking about how to answer. She didn't know where to begin, but she knew she wanted to tell her mother everything.
"Well..." She started, hesitating for a moment, "I've been living first in a planet called Earth. I was adopted and raised there by a nice woman named Monica.... She took good care about me. And I lived with her, she didn't have kids. And we loved each other. Then one day, he started haunting me." Regan said, looking down her food, "And then I ended up in these other planets, trying to survive."
She looked back at her mother, searching for any reaction, "And then I found out who I really was and I found you."
Octavia listened to her daughter's story, her heart breaking at the thought of all the hardship Regan had been through. She wished she could have been there for her, protected her from all the pain and suffering. But she had been imprisoned for years, unable to do anything to help her child.
"Oh, sweetie..." she murmured, reaching out to take Regan's hand in hers. "I am so sorry that you had to go through all of that. I wish I could have been there for you. I wish I could have protected you." Regan looked up at her mother, tears filling her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to feel her mother's arms around her, to feel safe and loved.
"It's okay, mom. I'm here now," she managed to say through her tears. "And we can be together now." Octavia nodded, wiping away a tear that had escaped her eye.
"Yes, we can. And we will find a way to be together, just the two of us. I promise you that, my darling girl." And with that, they wrapped their arms around each other tightly, both of them feeling the pain and loss that had been there for so long beginning to ease just a little.
"You know, Regan.... I never thought you would be alive. When the war took place, I took you away from the castle and hid you to my most trusted friend, who lived in a safe place. I didn't know what happened to you after that. I heard she died, and I thought...I thought y-you died with her." Octavia's voice broke as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to come and find you, but I couldn't. I was locked up, and I couldn't do anything. I was so scared, so terrified. I've passed the years crying day and night for you."
Regan held her mother tighter, feeling her pain and anguish. "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't know. I wish I could have been with you. I wish I could have protected you."
"No, no, it's not your fault, sweetie. It's mine. I should have protected you. I should have found a way. But I couldn't, and I'm so sorry." Octavia sobbed, clinging to her daughter's hand.
Regan held her mother as tightly as she could, feeling the warmth and the strength of her embrace. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, just holding each other and crying their hearts out. And then, he turned back, a smile on his face.
"Well, well, looks like we have a little reunion going on here." Sirius said, stepping in, sitting in front of them, legs crossed.
"We were better without you." Regan snapped at him, her grip on her mother tightening. "You took everything from us. You ruined everything."
Sirius raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Well, you know something? I wasn't the one who imprisoned your mother. I wasn't the one who sent you on earth. I wasn't the one who separated you from your real family. I played my part in destroying your kingdom, yes. But the plan was for each royal member to die. To end the line. Not to send you away, and keep your mother in captivity for years. I mean, of course it's better than to die, I guess. But it's not exactly what I had in mind." Sirius paused for a moment, his gaze out of the window.
"But now, that you're both here....Well, I've got plans for you." He smiled then, a triumphant glint in his eyes.
Regan's jaw clenched, she wasn't willing to hear that anymore, "And what are these plans? To make us your servants? To threaten us with each other just so we can obey you and serve you? Well, Sirius, I have news for you. I am not your servant, and neither is my mother. We are not afraid of you, and we're not fools to play on your tune." Regan spat out, her voice shaking with anger. Octavia nodded in agreement, a fierce determination burning in her eyes.
Sirius tilted his head, "Oh, Regan. It's so far away. But, I wouldn't tell my plans to my enemies. That'd be foolish, wouldn't it?"
Regan and her mom didn't say anything at all, they were both worried of what he was thinking of but Regan wasn't going to rely on him, she had her own plans and she wasn't alone. She had her mother and together they would find a way to be free again.