EVERMORE ─ marvel ⁷

VI. A Leap Of Faith

Chapter Six
Naomi

"They all want the same thing," I tell Kieran, pacing around our hotel room as the sun begins to set. "The lords and ladies of Krylor, Aakon, Arago, A'askavariian, and Xeronian all believe they are best fit to help their people and think the others only want power for powers sake. I don't understand why they have been fighting for so long, if they took two seconds to be honest about their intentions then this conflict wouldn't be happening."

"You have to remember that the Kree have been trying to seize control in this empire for a long time," Kieran reminds me, sharpening her sword as she sits on the edge of the bed. Her cloak is off, her long black hair let out of it's braid, and she's only wearing her black pants and a black tank top, her usual gear and boots are in the corner. I've seen her like this every night since we've been here and I'm still not used to seeing her like this, so casual, so relaxed. Her amethyst eyes meet mine, her voice full of shame. "The Kree have probably been whispering lies into these lords and ladies ears to instigate fighting just like this. An empire that crumbles from within is easier to take control over, and harder to repair."

"I hate that, I hate what they did, what they tried to do to Earth," I admit, frustration causing a growl to escape my lips before I can stop it. "These leaders should be smart enough to realize that they've been played. They should put their pride aside and come together for the good of their people. Too many people are suffering because these leaders lack communication skills and civility. Some of them mocked me today for being a human, but they are acting just like human leaders do."

"With long life comes arrogance and superiority. They're also scared, for themselves and for their people."

"I know that better than anyone. I was ready to go to war against the entire United Nations in order to ensure my people's safety, but I still listened to others when they offered me advice. When Bucky, Sam, Jade, and the kids told me they could find another way to solve our problems besides war, I listened. I trusted them. I trusted that they wanted what was best for our people too. Whenever Johnathon or Matthew thought we needed to change things or try something new, I listened to them. I trusted them. I tried telling these lords and ladies that today but they brushed me off as just a human out of my depth. Maybe they're right."

I brace my hands on the back of the chair sitting next to the hologram projector, my breathing uneven. Kieran watches me for a beat before setting her sword down, locking her hands together around her bent knee. "What makes you think that?"

"My whole life has been dedicated to the enhanced, Kieran. Since I was eighteen my whole purpose in life was to protect others like me; people with powers, people who were betrayed by the leaders sworn to defend them. I fought for twenty years for freedom, and now it seems that I've won that battle. New leaders have been picked on Earth who are giving the enhanced the rights they deserve, giving them the things I fought tooth and nail to get the old leaders to even consider offering. It's hard to believe that fight is over, and I'm starting to wonder who I am without that fight, without—" I stop myself, feeling tears well up in my eyes.

Kieran gives me a somber look before finishing for me. "Without Johnathon and Matthew."

I nod, feeling one of the tears fall from my lashes. "I don't know what I'm doing. For months I've felt overwhelmed and this has just made everything so much worse. I went from having my people counting on me to having the entire planet counting on me, and once I had my best friends to bare the weight with me, and now I'm all alone. I don't want to fail Earth and I feel like that's exactly what I'm doing. Everyone on Earth sees me as this great leader but I'm not, I'm just some girl who can make good public speeches. My whole identity has been about helping the enhanced and now that chapter of my life has ended, Johnathon and Matthew are dead, and I don't know what to do. I don't know who I am or who I'm supposed to be without them. And I have to keep all this in because the second I show weakness in front of any of these leaders they'll never listen to a word I say again. I just—I feel so trapped."