Above another concept art of our dear Lyanna
We'd been sitting in the council chamber for hours already, making plans to defend the city from the upcoming threat. We'd heard about the army Arthas had been assembling, and that they were camping in the ruins of Borovia right now. It wouldn't be long till they attacked and when they did, it would be with full force. The sun was slowly setting, cutting our time short. Luckily we already formed a plan and now were only focusing on the details.
"Now we can activate the ray shields once they get close enough and shoot them down with deathshot." Stefan proposed, leaning his hands on the war table as he studied the miniature version of our city. His blond hair coloured a bright orange with the light of the setting sun. "We will station troops here, -" He pointed at the locations as his eyebrows furrowed. "here and here. It will be enough for the first attack, but it won't last long when Arthas appears."
"Obi-Wan and I can distract him long enough for you to defeat his army." Anakin smugly smiled.
"Anakin, I'm not sure if you remember the last time correctly, but he had us pinned down in a matter of seconds." Obi-Wan objected.
"But master, we're prepared this time!" Anakin acted as if he was offended, his eyes widening playfully. "And, of course, we have our dear princess on our side." He gestured towards me, mumbling the words incoherently.
"If we're lucky back up will be arriving by then." Aidan fiddled with his fingers as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes focused on the city, cutting off the jedi's bickering. "I've never heard of Valerians refusing the call of the phoenix. They'll be with large numbers, so maybe we'll have a chance of overpowering his army."
"But no chance of overpowering him." I sighed and hid my face in my hands, defeated. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, making me lift my gaze to his immediately. Obi-Wan's worried eyes soon focused on mine as he questionably looked at me. "We went to the caves to find a way to defeat Arthas, my dear jedi." I could feel the other's gazes focused on me too so I sat upright. "Finding this power helped, surely, but it won't be enough. It gave us a chance to defeat his army but not Arthas himself. We need a timeturner and I'm not one."
Everyone fell silent, dropping their gazes to the floor. "I mean, I can slow it down temporarily and I can see echoes of the past while touching things." I shifted awkwardly, remembering how I'd relived the moment between Obi-Wan and Eric the moment I first touched him. "But freezing time completely? I don't think I can do that."
"You're right." Stefan sighed, falling down on his chair in defeat. "I had hoped that because your mother was the most powerful timeturner, you'd get that power too. I forgot the fact that you can only have one major power and you were already part phoenix." He explained. When he saw Obi-Wan and Anakin looking at him with glazed over eyes, he cleared his throat and continued. "Having that much power will kill you. Even our queen." His eyes soon focused on me again. "So, we'll have to find a way to defeat him with what we have."
"He's immune to fire, commander." I reminded him. "There's no way I can defeat him."
"Maybe not, but we'll find a way we can defeat him." Anakin quickly interjected. When everyone diverted their gazes towards him, some with a glare and some just tired, he threw his hands up and smiled. "You didn't have jedi the last time he attacked and you didn't have any clone troopers. Now, we've defeated more armies in the last few years than you in your entire lifetime. I'll admit, Arthas is more powerful than droids but it has to count for something."
Everyone thought about what he was trying to say, their eyes all fixed on the map before them. "I can't believe I'm saying this but Anakin is right." Obi-Wan stroked his beard in thought as his eyes narrowed. "At the very least we will be able to catch him off guard."
"Let's hope so." Aidan sighed. A pounding on the door soon startled everyone. "Come in!" Aidan said after he'd recovered from the shock, taking in a deep breath to calm his beating heart.
"Your majesties." A servant entered, almost tumbling over his own feet as he breathed hastily. "There's someone who I think you'd like to meet." He said out of breath, finally managing to lift his eyes to look at us. Obi-Wan and I glanced at each other as the others waited in anticipation. "She came in just a few minutes ago together with some reinforcements, your majesty."
"Well, bring her in!" Aidan stood up from his chair.
A middle-aged woman soon appeared in the doorway with long, brown hair that cascaded down till around her waist, prominent cheek bones and crashing green eyes. I sat up immediately, narrowing my eyes as a hint of recognition sparked within me. The woman seemed ancient yet young, her stance vast and self-assured. Her stern eyes glided over everyone, her presence somehow demanding respect instantly till she saw me.
"What is your name?" Aidan questioned, a hint of amazement in his eyes but she ignored him, walking towards me without even muttering a word. From the corner of my eye I saw Obi-Wan instinctively grasping for his lightsaber but when she didn't make any move, he relaxed.
"Phoenix." The woman bowed before me yet she didn't seem submissive in the slightest. "I've waited a long time for you." She looked at me expectantly but the words seemed stuck in my throat. As Aidan continued to ask her questions she suddenly lifted her arm, motioning for him to stop talking. Even though he was king he couldn't help but stop instantly, taking aback by her bluntness as he stared at her. "Almost 400 years, to be exact."
"What can I do for you?" I asked after I recovered my voice, staring at her as she smiled and walked around the chair I was sitting in. Everyone was dead silent as they continued to stare at her.
"My name is Eveline." It almost sounded like she sang as she seemed to glide over the floor, her fingers tracing the chairs she walked by. Obi-Wan looked at her as if he were entranced, freezing in place when she passed him. "I'm your mother's sister, your aunt."
"That's impossible." I scoffed, narrowing my eyes as she stopped in her tracks. I felt a sting of jealousy as he grasped Obi-Wan's chair and stayed behind him. "No Valerian can survive that long, my family lived ages ago. I'm only alive because my mother sent me forward in time."
"And I'm alive because I am time." She looked at me intensely. "I took your mother's power right after she was killed and escaped the purge your father invoked. I am, frankly, the last timeturner."
"Well, that's wonderful news!" Aidan clapped his hands together, a smile covering his face from ear to ear. The sound felt odd, especially when Eveline and I continued to stare at each other and Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he felt her warmth behind him. "Right?" Aidan's gaze darted between us two.
"So, you ran when all timeturners were killed?" I ignored my brother, leaning forward in my chair. Studying her, I didn't see any scar or sign that she had ever fought a battle. Quite the contrary, everything about her appearance was perfect. I couldn't find a single flaw. "You hid when the world was falling apart around you?" A growl was laced through my voice as I spoke, my eyes narrowing even further. "When Arthas first escaped, you watched as hundreds died and still did nothing?!"
"Careful, little one." Eveline remained calm as she looked at me. Her hand went to Obi-Wan's shoulder, holding him in place. Another growl escaped from my lips as I balled my hands into fists when his eyes widened and his body froze even further. "You're beginning to sound like your father."
As Eveline and I continued to battle each other for dominance with our hard stares, Aidan cleared his throat to get our attention. Even though he didn't succeed in the slightest he spoke. "So, are you here to help us defeat Arthas?"
"I am here to aid you, yes." Eveline broke our eye contact and continued on her path around the table, making Obi-Wan able to breathe easily again. "This battle was long foretold. Its ending is already set in stone and I'm here to see that it comes to pass."
Letting out a loud sigh I fell back in my chair, my eyes still fixed on her figure. "Here's to hoping it ends with Arthas frozen in time, again." Aidan chuckled awkwardly and lifted his cup.
Evelyn stopped when she reached the balcony, her eyes watching the sunset. She didn't make any comment, leaving Aidan unsure of his prediction. He started to stutter as he spoke up again. "Right?" When she remained silent, Aidan glanced at everyone around the room, trying to see if they were as nerve wrecked as he was.
"Can I be alone with the phoenix?" Eveline asked suddenly but everyone knew it was a command. I scoffed and growled softly, knowing that she could take our power that easily irritated me beyond believe. Everyone slowly obeyed her, taking their stuff and walking towards the exit silently.
"So that's how you felt in the arena, huh?" I looked at Aidan as he passed me. He shrugged his shoulders and then smiled, patting mine.
"I'll see you soon, princess." Obi-Wan smiled at me when I met his eyes, making butterflies erupt in my stomach again. God, how easily he could catch me off guard. My heart warmed and I nodded at him, feeling some of the frustration falling off my shoulders. I watched as he left the room and closed the door behind everyone.
"I sense great distrust in you, phoenix." Eveline spoke as she continued to stare at the horizon. "I promise you, I mean you or your jedi no harm."
"My jedi?" I scoffed and stood up abruptly, glaring at her back. She didn't even flinch. "You come in here like you own the place, commanding the king to leave his own war room, you dare to insult me and then you wonder why I don't trust you?"
Eveline sighed, turning away from the view and looking at me. "My apologies, phoenix, I forgot about the famous temper of the Firehearts." I was practically seething as she calmly walked towards the closest chair and carefully took a seat, watching me with unimpressed eyes. "I came here to talk about your destiny." I scoffed, turning away from her and trying to calm my breath. "Surely, you must be aware that tomorrow plays a vital part in it. Not only your destiny but that of Valeria as well."
"Just tell me what you've come to tell, aunt. Then you can go back to hiding in your damned cave."
I heard her chuckle lightly behind me, muttering something under a breath which I'm glad I didn't hear. "You said you can't defeat Arthas but you can and you will. It was foretold almost a thousand years ago and the scriptures never lie."
I felt the frustration in me growing as I turned towards her. "Then tell me how and stop wasting my time."
"You're linked." She spoke simply as she stared back at me. She watched as I contemplated on what she said but didn't seem in the least surprised. "To save her love, Arthas, and the future of Valeria your mother linked your life to his so that Anduin couldn't kill him, not as long as you were alive."
Eveline remained silent as she let the words sink in for a few long, stretching moments. "Huh." I chuckled humourlessly as my nails digged into my own skin and realization hit me. It all made sense, finally. It was why Anduin searched for me this entire time, why Eric first tried to kill me and the reason Arthas didn't kill me that day in Borovia. If I died, it would lift the spell on Arthas and he'd be vulnerable again. "So, if I die tomorrow-" I lifted my gaze and watched Eveline who stared back emotionlessly.
"So will Arthas." She concluded.
"Huh." I bit on my lip as a lump started to grow in my throat. I felt my limbs starting to shake as realization hit me. "Did my mother know this when she cast the spell?" Speaking softly, I had to lean on my hands to steady myself.
"She did." Eveline answered.
"Figures." I chuckled sadly and turned my back towards her. All my life I had simply been raised for that moment, the moment that I had to sacrifice myself to safe Valeria. I was simply a lamb that would be brought to the slaughter, not a hero that was raised from the ashes like I believed before. I was no phoenix, I was no leader. I was just a martyr.
"Does anyone else know?" A plan started to form in my head after some time. Even though I didn't like it, I knew I had to fulfil this destiny they had planned out. It was the only way to save all these people. If I were to stay true to my own ideals, I had to follow through with this plan.
"No." Eveline spoke clearly.
"Good." Taking in a deep breath and turning towards her, I gathered all the strength I had left. "Because they won't like it and they will try to stop it from happening. So, I need you to act as if you're going to try and freeze him in time again, you understand? Because if they hear about this, if Obi-Wan finds out they will do everything in their power to stop us."
"I will." She nodded.
"Good." I glanced down at the map again, knowing that the plan we had made was completely useless now. Yet, I still had to follow every step through to make sure they didn't find out what we were truly doing, that I was going to die tomorrow. "All right." Even though I never wanted to admit it, I was scared. The thought of dying was terrifying yet also I somehow knew it before. My path always seemed clear, up until the battle that was going to take place tomorrow. Somehow this felt like the final piece to a puzzle and I was determined to finish it, even if it meant I didn't get to see the final picture.
I thought about Aidan, how I promised him we would rule together only to leave him again one day after. How he had lost his father and uncle in this war, only to lose his sister in the end too. This war cost him more than anyone and I hated it. Then Obi-Wan came into mind. How he had struggled all this time with the past, only to finally accept me into his life days before I had to die. My heart ached for him already, feeling guilty that I had convinced him, feeling guilty that yet again he had to lose those he loved. Maybe in some way he was right to ignore his feelings, for now I had to break his heart all over again.
"Now if you don't mind, I'm going to enjoy my last night alive." I nodded again and sighed deeply as I met Evelyn's intense gaze. "And that surely doesn't in any way involve you in it."
Hello there
Y'all know what's coming next. Our dear princess is gonna get some.
Just wanted to let you guys know that my corona test was positive, so I'm kinda sitting here at home with no air. Like, it's literally hard to breathe. In a way it's kinda ironic since I do research on the subject, so in a way this is also a great moment to really understand the sickness xd Just wanted to ask you to pleaaase be patient with me, but I know you guys will because you're amazing and every single comment last chapter was so adorable.
Love you guys.