life in a commander's arms

24. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls...

TW// gore kind of? ig?

Madeleine's POV
I slowly open my eyes. I felt so dizzy, and I felt so weak. Then I remembered what happened. "ESPRESSO!" I call out. I try to move, but then realized I couldn't.

I look over and see Latté and Cream Puff and Knight and even Princess tied up next to me. We were all chained up with chains and ropes, but Espresso wasn't in sight. "DAD, PLEASE STOP!" Latté shouts.

I hear an eratic laugh when I look back forward. My heart sinks. Numb. I felt sick to my stomach.

There he was. Espresso. Tied up to a tree with his father holding a crossbow loaded up with a firework. I widen my eyes, "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I shout as loud as I could. Everyone tied up next to me darted their eyes toward me and nodded.

Espresso looked over at me. He was crying so hard. I could see from far away how shaky he was. It stabbed me in every way seeing him like that. On his birthday, too, of all days. "Maddie..." I hear him whisper before his father poked at his stomach with the loaded crossbow.

I wiggle around, "ESPRESSO, HONEY, EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK, I PROMISE!" I assure. I pull and tug at the ropes and chains trying to escape.

But I couldn't.

Espresso's father laughed again. This man was a maniac! "Don't worry, pretty boy~ you're right." he started to walk up to me, then. He crouched down and rested his crossbow under my chin. "He will be ok. If you're the one up there, instead."

I see Espresso's jaw drop, "N-NO!" he shouts wiggling in his tied up space. Everyone looks at him. Including his father, "FATHER, PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM!" he begged.

Espresso's father chuckled and wiped his alcohol filled scent off his mouth. "This is what I love about you two. Love eachother so much, you can't decide who official goes." he frowns and walks back toward Espresso.

To all of our shock, he started to untie Espresso. I felt so relieved. He wasnt going to be hurt.

When Espresso was out, he didn't charge after his father. He charged after me. He ran to me and hugged me so tight, I couldn't feel my entire body.

I rest my head on his shoulder feeling tears in my eyes, "Starlight, I-I-I'm so sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen, I-"

"Shut the fuck up-" Espresso interrupted. He sniffled burying his face in my hair, "Be quiet, ok? I... I missed you so much, and I thought you were gone..." he whispered.

I smile and close my eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too..."

"Uh, no no no~" his father grinned. He grabbed Espresso's neck and pulled him off of me. He pulled Espresso close to him and stared into his eyes. "I'm not letting you off the hook, you know."

Espresso widened his eyes. I watch magic beans float around him ready to attack. But instead of fleeding, he smiled and took something out of his pocket, "This is TOO easy!" he laughs under his breath.

That's when we heard it. We all heard it. We watch Espresso's father throw the thing in his hand on the ground releasing a loud shattering sound.

I watch the color in Espresso's face drain. His magic started to fade as he shakingly fell down to his knees grabbing his chest in pain. "No..." Latté whispered.

"What did he break?" I ask Latté in fear.

Latté stares at me. Her lips were quivering, and her breathing sped up. "H-His soulstone..."

My heart sank deeper hearing those words. I dart my attention back toward Espresso who was on the ground coughing up blood. Black liquid streaming down his eyes. "ESPRESSO!" I shout.

His father pointed the crossbow toward Espresso and smirked. "Any last words?" he asked.

Espresso then looked at me shaking. I felt so so dizzy seeing him. Bags were showing under his eyes, not to mention his eyes were pitch black now, and he seemed to be getting paler by the second. He looked terrifying, but terrified himself, at the same time.

Espresso slowly smiled, "I love you, Maddie..." he whispered in a shaky voice.

I panic immediately. "No, NO!" I shout a continue to pull at the ropes until I was finally free.

Once I was close to reaching Espresso, though. His father pulled the trigger. The firework flew through the wind hitting Espresso's stomach. Lights covered my entire vision, and all I could feel were ashes stinging my skin.

I turn around and cover my head and eyes as fireworks shot into the air and all around. Everyone else, who was tied up looked away, as well.

When the sounds were done, all I could hear was my beating heart. I turn around to see Espresso laying on the ground in a puddle of red and black. I run toward him and flip him over so that I could see him. "ESPRESSO!" I thought I screamed, but for some reason I couldn't hear it.

I stare at Espresso through tear filled eyes. "Wake up..." I whisper. I shake him slightly harder, "W-WAKE UP!"

Latté's POV
I stare at Madeleine. I stare at my brother's corpse. I did the same thing Madeleine had done and wiggled until I was free. "You BASTARD!" I shout at my dad.

I rush toward my dad and wrestle him to the edge of the hill, "YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND! YOU KILLED ONE OF MY ONLY FRIENDS YOY FUCKING BITCH!"

"It was for our own safety," dad smirked.

I widen my eyes, "Our own safety?" I ask suddenly feeling burned up. "OUR own SAFETY??" I grab my dad tightly and begin to scream.

"OUR OWN SAFETY, DAD! THINK ABOUT IT! MOM DIED BECAUSE OF YOU, ESPRESSO DIED BECAUSE OF YOU, I MIGHT AS WELL DIE BECAUSE OF YOU!" I kick my father until he was hanging onto the hill with only a few fingers. "But I won't. I'm ending this family tragedy."

With that, I kicked my dad's head sending him falling down in what seemed to be in slow motion.

Madeleine's POV
I hold Espresso on my lap and see Latté running toward us. "PLEASE CALL SOMEONE!" I scream, "PLEASE!" Latté nodded and ran to untie everyone else.

I stare at Espresso Bart able to keep focus, "Wake up, starlight..." I whisper. I shake him again and scream the loudest I had in so long. I felt my voice leaving me. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP, ESPRESSO, I CAN'T LIVE WITH OUT YOU, WAKE UP!"

I suddenly hear loud ringing in my ear. "Wake..." I close my eyes and feel myself fall down.

Espresso still in my arms.