WARNINGS: none that I can think of :)
I'm standing to the right of Russel. He's in front of the entirety of Sanctum. They've provided me with a knife, a handgun, and a sword. I didn't expect so much so soon but I guess he trusts me. I have no idea why but I'm thankful for it. If I ever need to kill him super fast, I would have a pretty good vantage point. Maybe he trusts me because he knows I'll do what's best for my people and him alive is in their interest right now.
He's making some speech that I'm not listening to. I'd totally be paying attention if I weren't focussing my energy elsewhere. Since I'm stuck with this job, I figured I'd do my best at it. I'm canvassing the crowd and examining to find any angry faces or concealed weapons. I don't find any. Every expression is nothing less than painful glee. It's a little terrifying to be honest. Once I'm through with the crowd, I move to looking in every window of the buildings. No secret snipers or bows and arrows. Turns out that this place is strangely passive. I wouldn't know much about that but they seem at peace.
They're having a party after they "name" Delilah in the castle. I still haven't been in there yet but I will soon enough. They've just taken her inside there. I silently wonder what they're doing to her but I think it best not to say anything. After a few minutes of me waiting, Delilah comes out with her hair pulled back and a long, silver dress on her. Her shoulders are held back and her smiling expression has turned weirdly serious. She has a completely different air around her. Jordan (who was involved with her before) walks up to her and says some quiet words but she just nods vaguely.
Delilah was so happy and delightful. Her entire personality was joyful. Now she's stone faced and her seriousness is scaring me a bit. What does it remind me of?
Monty.
When I saw him during the Red Sun, he looked just like one of my best friends but it wasn't really him. It was just a figment of my imagination. This woman looks just like Delilah but she can't be. What the hell did they do to her?
"Behold Priya," Russel says into the microphone.
"Hallowed be her name," everyone choruses together.
I share a look with John where we both raise our eyebrows. He's skeptical of this too, I know it. He doesn't belong here. Of course, I don't really belong here either. Well, that isn't entirely true. I belong anywhere he is.
In less than half an hour, I'm standing inside the castle. The main room has been cleared of all furniture and has been replaced with a dance floor. People are dancing together underneath the multicoloured lights. Tables sit off to the side where people are having quiet conversations. Priya is stone cold at the wall. She smiles at the occasional passerby but nothing more than that. And I'm watching her because that's my job. Protect the Primes at all costs. Clarke is dancing with the doctor (Cillian). I can see that ending nicely for the both of them.
"Dance with me."
I look up from my focus to find John holding his hand out to me. A slow song has just started playing. I smile. "That's sweet but I'm working-"
"Come on. I'm sure Russel won't mind," he says, glancing over his shoulder at the man.
I follow his gaze, finding him sitting at a table across the room. He meets my eyes in no time, looking at John then at me. I raise my eyebrows with a little smile and he smiles back almost immediately. He nods politely, turning away so that the exchange ends.
I nod too, looking back at John. "Looks like I'm off the hook."
John smiles, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor. He places his hands on my hips while I rest my arms on his shoulders. My fingers clasp behind his neck as we start to sway back and forth. He's grinning wide down at me.
"The last time I tried to dance with you, you stabbed me," he says, smiling.
I frown. "God, I feel terrible about that."
"It wasn't your fault," he says quickly, examining my features.
I smile, listening closely to the song. I recognize it.
My smile fades a bit. "This is the song my mother would hum to me when I'd have my attacks."
"Attacks?" John repeats, eyebrows pulled together.
"Yeah. I'd start sweating, breathing hard, heart beating fast, panicking. It sucked but she always talked me down from it. Or sang me down from it. Though she was never one for words, she'd only hum. But now I know them," I say, listening harder.
A woman is singing. The song is about not being able to help falling in love with someone. Well, that relates to my situation pretty well. What a beautiful voice she has. I wonder who she was. Obviously, she was around before the bombs since Eligius III landed here and that's why it was heard on the Ark and here. That's the only explanation I have.
"She told me she forgave you, you know," John says suddenly, staring into my eyes.
"Who?" I ask, eyebrows raising.
"Emori," he says, nodding.
"Oh," I say quietly, "what'd she say?"
He smiles softly. "She said she understood why you did it. She said she understood that you didn't know any other way to have a relationship. She said...she was sorry that she'd held it against you for so long. She said she wished you two could've been friends. She said she wished she was able to tell you herself. She said...she'd miss you. Everyone, I mean. But you too."
I let out a breath, looking at his chest and feeling my eyes start to water. "I should've been more understanding."
"You did what you knew how to," he says, nodding and smiling.
"I should've been able to do more," I say quietly, shaking my head.
He frowns, grabbing my chin to look at me. "You did nothing wrong, Cam. I won't have you living with a guilt like that."
I nod, knowing he's right.
"Who's Reagan?" he asks suddenly, shaking his head.
He's been committed, I'll give him that. After I mentioned her that one time when I woke up on the Ark, he wouldn't stop asking me. I mean, it got worse when we got back together. Every time he'd ask, I'd wave him off. I'd tell him she was just someone I'd met while living around Trikru. He wouldn't give up though. Not even now.
I shake my head with laughter. "Your persistance is impressive."
"Why thank you," he says, grinning. "Who's Reagan?"
I sigh, looking over his shoulder. "No one-"
"Will you stop it with that?" he asks, frowning. "I know she's someone and I told you all that shit about Emori so I'd like to know about Reagan... please."
I frown. "You really want to know?"
He nods fast. "Yes. I really do."
"Alright," I say, nodding too. "When I left Polis after the City of Light was destroyed, I spent the first three days in Trikru with men. Then I met Reagan. I was in the woods and I guess she thought I was a deer because she almost shot me in the head. Then we ended up having sex. I woke up the next morning to her playing with my hair."
A small smile finds my lips at the thought.
"She asked if I spoke Trig and I told her I didn't. She decided that she'd teach me. I spent a week with her before I moved on to the next village. It was easier to learn Trig there with actual practice. That was where I heard the rumours of the world ending. I knew I needed to find you but I also needed to say goodbye to Reagan," I say, finally looking him in the eyes. "And when I got there, I didn't get half a word in before she started kissing me. I woke up next to her the morning after. She told me she was falling in love with me and I told her I had someone else. Then I left. I haven't seen her since."
He pauses for a second, shaking his head. "She could've survived in the bunker with Wonkru-"
"I doubt it, John. There were hundreds of Trikru and only a hundred were put in the bunker," I say, shaking my head. "I doubt she's alive."
"Ask Miller," he says, shrugging. "He was down there. Ask if he ever met anyone named Reagan from Trikru-"
"There were hundreds of them down there, John-"
"It's worth a shot," he says, shrugging.
I frown. "Fine. I'll check with Miller."
He smiles. "Wonderful."
WORD COUNT: 1494
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