literature

The Last Door Chapter 2 - Traitor

Deviation Actions

CallistoHime's avatar
By
Published:
3.7K Views

Literature Text

The Last Door



Feeling my way through the darkness
Guided by a beating heart
I can't tell where the journey will end
But I know where to start

They tell me I'm too young to understand
They say I'm caught up in a dream
Life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes
Well that's fine by me

So wake me up when it's all over
When I'm wiser and I'm older
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn't know I was lost
~Avicii “Wake Me Up”

Chapter 2
Traitor




The council room fell silent.

Jag’s words bounced around in Roy’s head as he tried in vain for them to make sense. Failing to do so, Roy lifted his hands in surrender.

“Wait, wait, wait.” He screwed his face up in frustration, fighting to keep his head and reserve judgment rather than following his gut reaction to simply tell Jag that he was insane. “What?

“Look, I didn’t believe it myself when I first heard about it and I still don’t want to believe it now, but after what I’ve seen I can’t deny it’s true,” Jag sighed, looking between Roy and Elice. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to explain,” Elice said, looking utterly stunned. “Start at the beginning.”

“Of course.” Jag took a breath. “Well, my gang’s been moving across Elibe for the last while. Keeping an ear to the ground, following the Black Fang’s movements, causing them trouble where we can, you know – the usual. There’s been talk of a lot of trouble up north so we headed that way, towards Ostia. You know their Marquess was killed, right?”

“Yes, Hector.” Roy acknowledged solemnly. “He was a friend of my father’s.”

“Well, it was his murder that led to the downfall of Ostia, and subsequently much of the Lycian League. They’re fighting for their lives up there… that’s why I took my men up see if we could help. And that’s where we started to hear the stories of Ostia’s takeover and the Marquess’ murder.”

He stopped, as though waiting to be interrupted. In fact he almost looked as if he wanted to be. But when no one spoke, he forged on.

“The people there said that the night of the takeover the palace had been infiltrated by a spy – a man of foreign descent invited in by none other than the Marquess himself claiming ties to the Aritian royal family. Hector had granted the stranger protection and in turn was betrayed, to his death.”

Roy swallowed roughly, refusing to let his mind go where Jag’s story seemed to be leading.

“The infiltrator had claimed to come from a land most Lycians have never even heard of,” Jag continued, his voice going flat. “A land called Hyrule.”

Roy shook his head silently, his stomach twisting like a knot, but Jag just kept going.

“He killed the Marquess, imprisoned his daughter and took the city all in one night. With only a handful of men, he managed to bring one of the strongest military cities in Elibe to its knees. They call him the Destroyer. He moves from place to place, wrecking and burning and killing without mercy. Some say he can’t be killed, some believe he isn’t even human… and after seeing him in action myself I can understand why.” He paused almost with a shiver. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“There has to be an explanation,” Elice argued. “Just because they said it’s someone from Hyrule doesn’t mean it’s Link.

“How many other one-man armies from Hyrule do you think there are wandering around northern Elibe?” Kain muttered in resignation.

“I don’t care what they say,” Elice growled. “It can’t be Link! He’s not a murderer and he’s certainly not a traitor.”

“With all due respect, I know what I saw, Your Majesty,” Jag replied.

“And what exactly did you see?” She bit back with a dangerous edge to her voice.

“I saw Link,” he answered assuredly. “I watched him lead an army of Black Fang soldiers right through the gates of an Etrurian temple, slaughtering every living thing that stood in his path. Most of them were priests who didn’t even try to defend themselves. Even when they went to their knees and begged to be spared - ”

“Stop.” Roy balled his fists on the table, using every bit of restraint he had to keep from exploding, quite literally, right where he sat. “Don’t say another word.”

“Look, I know you don’t want to hear this – and quite frankly I don’t want to be here telling you about it – but it’s true. It was Link. I saw him. I watched him in battle. I stood against him… and it’s a miracle I even lived to tell you about it.”

“Link is on our side. Fighting against the Fang – you know that!”

“Maybe he was,” Jag breathed quietly, his eyes darkened. “But something’s changed. He’s not the same as he used to be.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Roy looked back in stubborn disbelief. “But there’s not a thing you can say that will make me believe this.”

“So you think I’m lying?” Jag asked in exasperation.

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Jeigan looked over Jag in contempt.

“Why would I bother to come all this way just to tell you a lie?” Jag flared back. “What do I possibly have to gain from this?”

“An interesting question, coming from you,” said the Elite captain.

Jag’s jaw set and his eyes narrowed. “And here I thought you’d reformed from your hypocritically bigoted ways.” He glanced around the room at the faces of the Elite. “Still haven’t told them yet, have you? Afraid they’ll judge you the same way you judge me?”

“I’m not the one on trial here,” Jeigan seethed. “You leave me out of this!”

No one is on trial,” Elice broke in, glaring at Jeigan. “What has gotten into you?” she asked him directly, her voice falling to a hush.

“I should have known it was a mistake coming back here.” Jag started to retreat. “If this is what I get for trying to help you, again, then I’m through with it.”

“Wait!” Elice called. “Jagat, please don’t go. We need to get to the bottom of this.”

“I don’t need to stand around being called a liar by the likes you you,” Jag replied with a hard glance at Jeigan.

“I don’t think you’re lying.” Elice answered. “Just… mistaken. You have to be.”

“I wish I was.” He lingered by the door. “But I’m not.”

“But why?” Elice shook her head. “Why would Link work for the Black Fang. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

“You haven’t seen him in two years.” Jag shrugged. “A lot can happen in that amount of time. Something bad enough to change a man into a monster – because that’s what he is. I looked into his eyes, and there was nothing there. He looked empty, soulless. It was Link,” he stressed, “but he’s not Link anymore. Whatever it is that’s left of him… is evil.”

Elice dropped her eyes and for a moment the room fell silent.

Roy kept his fists pumping on the table, trying to distract himself from his own thoughts, his own fears, and the idea that at some point he was going to have to make a decision about this.

“Link is not a murderer,” he muttered, mostly to keep himself believing it.

Jag hesitated, his face strained as if deliberating on what to say. Finally, he sighed in defeat. “He said he was looking for a way to get her back.”

Elice’s head jerked up in panic. “Get who back?”

“Zelda,” he said reluctantly. “He said that she was gone, he’d lost her and he was searching for a way to get her back. Then he tried to kill me.”

The knot in Roy’s stomach tightened as he sought in vain for an explanation that could somehow outweigh what was now staring him in the face.

“They didn’t come back, Roy.” Elice turned to him, speaking quietly. “After all this time… they never came back. What if… what if Zelda….”

She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to.

If anything in the world could drive Link to this sort of madness, Zelda’s death would be it.

“He told me he was going back to Ostia,” Roy answered, dodging the direct question. “The last thing he said to me was that he was going back to Ostia to save her. He said she was in trouble – the baby was in trouble – and that he needed to go back. He was scared. Really scared.”

Roy swallowed a heavy lump in his throat, not daring to look up from the table. He could only imagine what it would do to him if he lost Elice. And if she were carrying his baby when it happened –

He felt suddenly sick.

Not sure what else to say, he took Elice’s hand and held it on his lap, taking comfort in the simple knowledge that she was safely at his side.

“I’m sorry,” Jag apologized. “I wish I didn’t have to tell you all this but I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Even if it is Link,” Roy conceded, though he still couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea of it, “what’s the Black Fang doing attacking Etruria? They’re harmless.”

“From what we’ve seen they’re moving from temple to temple, ransacking the place then moving on quickly. They’re looking for something – and it’s not too hard to guess what.”

“Emblems.” Roy rubbed his face in his hands, his brain feeling ready to explode.

“Bingo. And not just any Emblem. It seems they’re looking for a weapon: one strong enough to rival the one you used to defeat them.”

“They’re preparing another attack,” Roy stated in resignation.

“Of course they are. The Black Fang may be concentrating their efforts up north right now but you know it’s only a matter of time before they come back for you. If they get their hands on whatever it is they’re searching for, I don’t think they’ll wait too long to get their revenge.”

“We always knew another attack was inevitable,” Jeigan cut in. “I don’t see how this changes anything.”

“I would think knowing your former ally has turned against you would be an important bit of information you might be grateful to know.” Jag answered coolly. “Especially if he’s the one leading the charge on your castle.”

“Thank you for the warning,” Elice said before Jeigan could retort. “We do appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Your Majesty.” Jag tipped his head to her. “Well, I’ve caused enough trouble here for one day. Now that you know what you’re up against, I’ll be on my way.”

“You’re leaving? Just like that?”

“I’m afraid my welcome’s already worn out,” Jag muttered, his eyes flickering to Jeigan. “I wouldn’t want to hang around and make anyone uncomfortable.

Jeigan shifted in his seat but kept his eyes fixed on the table in a glower.

“At least let us give you a place to stay for the night,” Elice offered.

“That’s very kind of you, but my gang’s waiting for me. They’re back at the inn placing bets on whether I’ll get arrested or not. Most of them think I’m crazy for even coming here and if I don’t show back up by sundown they’ll probably try to stage a prison break.”

“Well, there won’t be any need for that,” Elice assured. “You went through a lot of trouble to bring us this news. If there’s anything we can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Just one enemy of the Black Fang looking out for another.” Jag tipped his head to her again, then to Roy. “See you around, Red.”

Jagat lingered one last second, his gaze falling once more on Jeigan. The two exchanged a cold stare before Jag opened the door and left.

“You get ‘Your Majesty’ and I still get ‘Red’?” Roy frowned.

“It just goes to show how little respect he has for you and for your rule over this kingdom,” Jeigan accused. “To march in here the way he did and – ”

“He was just trying to help.” Roy rolled his eyes. “After everything he did to help us against the Black Fang last time I think we owe him the benefit of the doubt.”

Jeigan didn’t answer, though he looked none too pleased by Roy’s response.

Roy took advantage of Jeigan’s silence and turned to his uncle. “What do you think, Nils?”

Nils looked up with a thoughtful expression on his ageless face. “I have no idea on this one, Roy.”

“So you haven’t Seen anything? Nothing to do with Link… turning into a crazy killer or anything?”

“If I had Seen this coming, I would have mentioned it,” Nils assured him. “Link and Zelda have been a blank in my mind’s eye ever since they left Harmony. Then again, their future was always one of great uncertainty. I didn’t think much of it, until now.”

“Well, whether Jag has all the facts straight or not one thing’s for sure – Elibe is in trouble. The question is,” Roy looked around the table of somber faces, “what do we do about it?”

“What is there to do?” Jeigan asked. “If Link has chosen to side with the Black Fang that makes him our enemy.”

“That’s a big if,” Roy contended.

“Well, either you believe the Sentei’s story or you don’t,” Jeigan replied tersely. “But either way it doesn’t much seem to matter. Our business is protecting Aritia, and that is what I intend to continue to do. If the Black Fang rises against us again, we will face their threat just as we did the last time.”

“A threat we couldn’t have withstood without help from the outside,” Roy pointed out. “This war with the Black Fang is bigger than any one nation. If Jag and his people hadn’t helped us last time, where would we be?”

“Whether Link is involved in this or not, you can’t forget where your true responsibilities lie,” Jeigan cautioned. “An enemy is an enemy… and your duty is to your people – no one else.”

“There’s a bigger issue here than just Aritia. This has always been bigger than us. We can’t start ignoring that now.”

“What exactly are you suggesting?” Jeigan asked, guarded suspicion written across his face.

“We need to go and find them.” Elice voiced the very thought Roy had been fighting against since Jag had first mentioned it.

We?” Roy raised his brows.

“Well, you specifically,” she corrected.

“You want to send Roy out of the Kingdom?” Jeigan balked. “Right now? In the midst of all this?”

“What he means to say is that any one of us would be happy to go in his stead, Your Majesty,” Kain interjected with a highly annoyed glance at Jeigan. “If that’s what you wish.”

“No, it needs to be Roy,” she replied unequivocally. “He has to go.”

“Wow. I was expecting maybe a little hesitation.” Roy gave a hollow laugh. “Are you really that eager to get rid of me?”

Elice met his smile with a look of utter seriousness. “We need to know what’s going on, and you’re the only one I trust to find out for sure. Maybe it is crazy but it’s the only thing that feels right.”

“Elice, do you really thinks that’s the best idea?” Jeigan argued.

Yes, I do,” she replied sharply, looking Jeigan directly in the eyes with her Jaw set. “Besides, it may be safer for Roy to be gone from Aritia for a while. You know, until we can get the situation here under control.”

“Situation?” Roy narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Wait a second – if this is just a plan to get me out of the way so I can hide from that bunch of cowards then I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m not asking you to hide, I just want you to be safe. And that’s not the only reason I want you to go.”

“Why else?” Roy asked, still watching her hesitantly.

“Well  I don’t know any other member of the Elite who can fly. You could go and come back before anyone else could even reach Etruria.”

She was holding something back, he could tell, but he could also tell by the look in her eyes that whatever it was he didn’t really want to know.

“If you want me to go, I’ll go,” he said. “But I’m not running away from anything.”

“I’m sorry, but I must object to this,” Jeigan spoke up again.

“Of course you must,” Kain muttered beside him in exasperation.

“I don’t see why, just because Jagat shows up and says so you suddenly need to fly off to another continent. Don’t you see what he’s doing? Don’t let this distract you from what’s really important, Roy,” he warned. “Don’t let him get inside your head.”

“The only one with trouble in the head right now is you.” Roy snapped. “Unless you can think of an actual reason for me not to trust him, then you can keep your comments about it to yourself.”

Jeigan opened his mouth to retort but seemed to think better of it. With visible effort he bit his tongue and shrank back into his chair.

“Good.” Roy looked around the faces of the Elite around the room, still unnerved by the fact that anything he said could command such deference from his oldest rival. He almost missed the days when Jeigan would have argued right back at him or simply disregarded anything he had to say.

Now, he had an entire table of men he trusted and respected looking back at him, waiting orders. Winning an argument was much less satisfying when it meant that, if you were wrong, your entire kingdom would suffer for it.

He waited, but even Elice remained silent beside him. So, he cleared his throat in an attempt to regain the composure that he could feel slipping away, and continued.

“So that’s it.” Roy found himself looking to Nils for confirmation. His uncle simply looked back at him with a slight nod of encouragement. “I’ll leave as soon as preparations can be made.”

“You shouldn’t go alone,” Elice advised. “In case there’s trouble, you’ll need someone there with you to – ”

Maddox snatched Hayden’s hand and thrust them both up into the air.

“We’ll come with you!” he volunteered instantly. “Me and Hayd. We’d be happy to.”

Hayden jerked his hand free from Maddox’s grasp. “Just once I’d like to be able to volunteer myself without you doing it for me,” he griped, but he smiled at Roy. “Of course I’m happy to help, Sire, in any way that I can.”

Roy returned the smile. “I’m not carrying you two on my back across the continent, you know that?”

“Jag’s still here,” Elice said thoughtfully. “He must have his wyverns with him. Maybe he will let you two borrow a pair for the journey.”

“You think he has his wyverns with him at the inn?” Roy chuckled. “I think someone might notice a couple of those being snuck in through the back door.”

Elice rolled her eyes. “I’m sure they’re not at the inn with him. He probably left them in the woods outside the city or something.”

“I’m up for riding wyverns.” Maddox tried to contain the smile on his face at the idea, though it did nothing to hide his excitement.

“We’ll send someone down to the lower town to talk to him,” Elice continued, overlooking Maddox’s childlike delight at the prospect of getting his very own wyvern.

“How are you going to find him?” Hayden asked. “Won’t he and his men be in disguise?”

“Good point.” Roy frowned. He hadn’t thought about that, but almost certainly they would be. Despite the improved relation between Aritians and Sentei of late, the people of Aritia were still not overly trusting of their new allies - as Jeigan had proved time and time again. Tensions between the two still ran deep, and fear usually won out on both sides.

“But Jag won’t be.” He pointed out after a moment of thought. “He can’t transform very well. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even see him bother to try.”

“No wonder he was in a hurry to get out of here,” Maddox replied. “It’s probably more dangerous for him out on our streets than it is for anyone else. At least the rest of his people can hide it.”

“They shouldn’t have to,” Roy muttered back.

“Hey, I’m with you, Dragon Buddy.” Maddox shrugged with a veiled glance at Jeigan. “But it doesn’t seem like everyone is convinced.”

“Zeke, I’d like you to go after him,” Elice requested of her First Officer. “If you leave now maybe you can catch him before he gets back to wherever it is they’re staying.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Zeke tipped his head, the hurried from the room in pursuit.

“The rest of you can return to your regular duties for the present,” she continued half-heartedly. “You’re dismissed.”

But as the Elite stood to leave, she called Jeigan back.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Jeigan clasped his hands behind his back, standing resolutely before the King and Queen.

Elice waited for the door to shut behind the last of the Elite, then started. “What is it you aren’t telling us about all this?”

Jeigan stiffened slightly. “About what, Your Majesty?”

“I know you, Jeigan. If there’s something going on between you and Jag that we should know about, then you have a duty to come out and say it.”

Jeigan hesitated, his brow twitching slightly. “Whatever problem I have with him is between us.”

“This isn’t like you.” Elice narrowed her eyes at him. “I’ve never known you to let your personal feelings compromise your judgment like this before.”

“I do apologize for my earlier behavior. I was only speaking my mind in regards to what I feel is best for Aritia. My duty to you and to our kingdom remains my only objective.”

“What exactly did he do to make you hate him so much?” Roy interrupted.

“It’s not what he did. It’s what he is,” Jeigan muttered in response, though he looked instantly regretful of his loose tongue.

“What in the flaming name of Roland does that mean?” Roy’s skin tingled with rage. “Can you really be this ignorant and stupid?”

“I assure you, I am neither.” For the first time Jeigan looked up and locked eyes with Roy. “I would have thought that after all my years of service and friendship my word would hold more ground than that of a stranger with no loyalty to you or our Kingdom.”

“You know we trust you,” Elice replied in frustration. “I’m asking for a reason not to trust Jagat – because thus far he has proven himself a truly trustworthy ally in this war and you have not provided a single bit of evidence to suggest otherwise.”

“I know his family,” Jeigan said stiffly.

“You mean his brother, Terak?” Roy still felt a sting at the mention of him. “The one who died fighting at my side against the Black Fang? The one who saved my life then took the brunt of a bomb explosion trying to help me save Marth? That family?”

Jeigan wavered uncomfortably. “I mean I know his father. Or rather, I know of his father.”

“Since when?”

“I realized the connection a while back, but it didn’t matter until now. He’s the son of a notorious Sentei warlord.”

Elice looked at him skeptically. “You’re sure?”

“Positive. He revealed his identity to me himself during my interrogation of him when he first came to Aritia. He’s the son of Genro, the leader of one of the most vicious gangs of bandits this side of the Black Fang: a murderer and a thief.”

“If you’ve known this for two years then why is it only a concern to you now?” Roy questioned.

“Because now he is trying to lead you out of Aritia and into the very lands his father’s bandits roam. It could be a trap. Just like the last time a Sentei came into our castle and lured the Prince out of our protection and into the hands of our enemies.”

Roy’s fists clenched. “Don’t drag Manasa into this. Don’t you dare - ”

“Whatever her intentions ended up being, there is no question that she came here with the intent of delivering Marth to his death.”

“Do we really need to go over this again?” Roy demanded. “Manasa had nothing to do with his death!”

“Didn’t she? Her loyalties may have changed, but if Marth hadn’t followed her into the hands of the Black Fang we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now, would we?”

The truth of Jeigan’s accusation pricked at Roy’s heart, though he refused to let the doubt in.

“This is completely different,” he seethed, his cheeks burning red under his freckles. “And just because his father’s an evil jerk doesn’t mean he is. That’s probably why he fights so hard against the Sentei bands to begin with.”

“Is that really a risk you’re willing to take?” Jeigan asked.

“Seeing as how he’s been a completely trustworthy ally since the day I met him, and that we never would have won the fight against the Black Fang last time without him, yeah I’d say I’m good with it.”

Jeigan’s frown deepened. “How can you – ”

“Jeigan, stop.” Elice held up her hand. “I can’t justify holding Jagat responsible for the actions of someone else, no matter how they may be related. He has been nothing but loyal to us and I won’t overlook that based on allegations against his father.”

“So that’s it?” Jeigan demanded. “You’re going to take his word over mine?”

“This isn’t a competition between you and him.” Elice looked at him in confusion. “Why are you taking this all so personally?”

“I’m not taking it personally, I’m simply concerned for the welfare of our Kingdom and its rulers.”

“Oh, please. Don’t worry yourself into a tizzy over me, Jeigan,” Roy replied. “I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t trust him,” Jeigan reiterated stubbornly, “and I believe he is leading you into a trap.”

“Consider your warning duly noted. Now do you have any other random arguments against Jagat you’d else you’d like to throw at us or are you finished?”

Jeigan set his jaw. “I’ve said my piece. If I cannot change your minds, then at least I know I have made it clear where I stand on the matter.”

“Yes, you have.” Elice answered. “The question is, will you support our decision regardless of your own personal misgivings?”

“There will never be a question of my loyalty, Your Highness.” Jeigan clamped his fist against his heart and bowed somewhat rigidly. “It is out of duty to loyalty that I speak out. But I will support you no matter what your decision.”

“Thanks,” Roy muttered.

Jeigan stood upright. “If there’s nothing else, I would like to return to my duties.”

Elice excused him but as he stepped to the door, she called him back.

“Jeigan?” She caught his eye with a careful pause. “Thank you.”

Jeigan tipped his head to her and left the chamber.

“What are you thanking him for?” Roy frowned. “Being a bull-headed jerk?”

“I’ve always relied on Jeigan’s honesty. He may not always agree with me but he’s never afraid to speak his mind. I appreciate that he cares enough to disagree.”

“So you’re thanking him for being a bull-headed jerk.”

“Yes, I guess I am.” Elice said, though her mouth pulled up in a crooked line as he watched the door through which Jeigan had exited. “I don’t know. Something still doesn’t feel right about all this.”

“Of course it doesn’t. We both know Link’s not a murderer. So what’s really going on here?”

Roy paused, looking at Elice for an answer but she kept her eyes down and her hands twisting in her lap.

“Elice?” He tilted his head to look at her. “We both know it can’t be true… right?”

Elice gnawed on her lip. “We both know what he’s capable of,” she said quietly.

“What’s that mean?”

“You know.” She looked up in harried desperation. “We both saw what he did once before when he thought that he had lost her. I had to threaten him with an arrow pointed at his head to get him to stop from killing – ” she choked on her brother’s name. “From killing him.”

“That wasn’t – ” Roy stammered. “You know it’s not that simple. Whatever happened in the past, Link would never join the Black Fang.”

Elice shook her head, staring back down at her hands. “I hope not.”

“Well if that’s how you feel then why were you defending him to Jag and everyone else?” Roy asked in exasperation.

“Because I - I don’t know what to think. I don’t want it to be true – the very thought of it makes me sick, but I know Jagat wouldn’t just make something like this up so we have to at least be prepared for the possibility that it’s true.”

Roy watched her closely, not really wanting an answer to what he couldn’t help but ask. “Why do you want me to go? Really.”

“I told you,” she still wouldn’t meet his eyes, “you know him better than the other Elite. If he has betrayed us, you’ll be able to tell.”

And,” Roy pushed, the knot of dread in his stomach tightening again.

“And… you’re the only one strong enough to stop him,” she answered reluctantly. “If it comes to it.”

“So you want me to kill him.” He voiced the very fear he had been avoiding ever since Elice suggested he be the one to go to Etruria. He wished he hadn’t. Saying it made it real and left him nowhere to hide.

“I don’t want anyone to have to kill him!” Elice looked up sharply. “But if you’re going to do this then you have to be prepared for the possibility that if it comes to it you will have to stop him… by any means necessary.”

“How about we give him the benefit of the doubt before we start planning his death?”

“I’m just trying to be realistic.”

“I don’t do realistic.” Roy scratched at a line on the table.

“Well you at least need to be prepared for the possibility.”

“Yeah, I don’t do ‘prepared’ either.” He stood, too filled with nervous energy now to stay in one spot.

She let a sharp breath out through her nose. “Yes, I’ve noticed. But if you’re going to do this… you have to be willing to do what needs to be done.”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Roy put his hands on the side of his head and shook it. “For all we know Link’s in serious trouble and needs our help, or he’s infiltrated the Black Fang and has something really clever going on that we don’t know about. There’s a million explanations that don’t involve him being a traitorous murderer.”

Elice chewed on her lip and nodded slowly. “I guess you’re right.”

“Right.” He paused. “So, if the point of this is to get to the truth, then I’ll go and find it and you’ll just have to trust my judgment from there.”

“I do trust you.” She laced her fingers through his and he sat back down beside her. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah. Sometimes I don’t know why, but yeah.” He smiled a little and leaned in to kiss her gently. “I love you, Licey.”

“I love you, too.” She brushed her hand down his cheek then jabbed her finger at his chest. “Just don’t do anything else stupid and get yourself killed, got it?”

“I shall strive not to be stupid.” He raised his hand as if swearing an oath.

Despite herself, Elice smiled. “That’s all I ask.”




*****
Dun dun duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!!!

I have nothing useful to say :)
© 2014 - 2024 CallistoHime
Comments25
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Thunder-Kite's avatar
awesome, I figured out what's going on, also about two-thirds of the way down the story page you missed an "n" when Roy said he had never "seen" Jag transform, seen didn't have it's N