A Battle of Blood and Bones

Untitled Part 1

The bloodshed had finally come to an end. The battle had raged on all night, and now, in the faint light of the morning sun, the carnage began to reveal itself. Bodies were littered across the field, weapons scattered, dropped by those who had fallen in the night. Poppy glanced around again, looking for Casteel, any sign of where he might have been. Every once in a while she stumbled across bodies ravaged by wolven, and thought about Kieran and Delano, where they could be. Poppy was alone, searching the battlefield for familiar bodies.

The longer she searched, the faster her heart beat, until she could have sworn it was racing out of her chest. She wished she hadn't been separated from Cas, knew he would be upset with himself for letting her get so far from him, even though they all knew she did not need protecting. She had fought by his side as long as she could, until they were torn apart by the surge of the enemy army. Poppy still searched, thinking of the last time she saw him, moments ago, or hours, she couldn't be sure. Time had moved differently in the thick of the battle, and she couldn't say for certain when she had last seen Casteel.

Her searching became more frantic, panicked, with the realization that Casteel should have found her by now. Someone should have found her by now. She was alone, in the middle of the wreckage, with no one and no weapon. Her breaths increased, head spinning, as she sent herself into a frenzy. Her eyesight blurred with panicked tears, as she tripped over the still body of a dark wolven. She took in the sight of the wolven, arrow through its eye, and nearly lost the contents of her stomach. But the fur, too dark to be Kieran's, gave her a pang of relief, quickly followed by guilt and shame, sorrow for the loss of an innocent life. Poppy pushed herself back to her feet, blood of the wolven staining her leathers, and she saw something stirring up ahead.

Poppy locked eyes with Kieran, who ran the rest of the way to her, wrapped his arms around her. Poppy knew in that moment, something was wrong. Where was Casteel, why wasn't he with Kieran? Poppy shifted, her green eyes meeting Kieran's blue, and she watched as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. He's asking for you," Kieran caught Poppy as her legs went out from under her. Supporting all of her, Poppy allowed Kieran to lead her off the battlefield, back to their war camp. The sounds of victory rang through her head, becoming a dizzying cacophony that threatened to make her head explode. Kieran led her back to the largest tent, the tent where she had spent the nights of the last two weeks with Casteel. She stopped just outside the flaps, and noted each of the friends, and familiar faces that had gathered outside. Delano, Emil, Niall, Vonetta and Jasper, all huddled just outside. She could see the tears that had worked rivers through the blood and grime on each of their faces, the blood in Delano's hair as he ran his injured hand through it. Emil looked like he should barely be standing, the gash on his leg healing, but too slowly. Looking at the faces of those who had become her family, crying over what she knew awaited her inside the tent, threatened to collapse her. Poppy straightened up, taking a few deep, steadying breath, and plastered on a brave face, the face she knew Casteel would want to see.

Poppy entered the tent, pushing the flaps aside and let out a gasp. She felt her knees buckle, her heart threatened to stop beating, and the air that she sucked in was too thin a stream. She couldn't do this. She couldn't - a hand on the small of her back grounded her, and she took a tentative few steps forward. Casteel lay on the cot before her, blankets covering the worst of his injuries. At the sound of her approach, he lifted his head, met her green eyes with his gold, and threw on his best, dimple-forming smile. Poppy knew it pained him, the whole movement, as his smile became more of a grimace. She began to call for a healer, but Casteel waved her off. Poppy knew then, what Casteel had already resigned himself too. He was not going to make it. Truthfully, they both knew it was a miracle he had lasted long enough for Poppy to make it here. Kieran grasped Casteel's shoulder once, tightly, and then made his way out of the tent. Giving Poppy privacy and time to say her goodbye. She wanted to call for Kieran to stay, but he was doing this for her. Giving her the last few moments of Casteel's life, even though he, too, was losing someone important.

Poppy dropped to her knees next to Casteel, and took his hand into hers. Although his breathing was shallow and laboured, his hand didn't shake as he reached up to wipe her tears.

"You are strong, Poppy. You need to be strong now, for this. My beautiful, strong, and yes, violent, Princess. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lost you on the battlefield. I'm sorry I left you unprotected. And I'm sorry for what's going to come next. I love you, Princess."

Poppy let out a shuddering, sobbing breath. "Don't cry. Don't cry, Princess, you'll break my heart. And it's already pretty broken." Poppy tried to laugh through the sob she released.

"Please. Please stay, Casteel. Please, I'll do anything. Anything," Poppy begged. Casteel's breath shallowed even more, chest barely rising. She knew this was it. Poppy climbed into the cot next to Casteel, breathing in the scent of him, tainted with his blood. Casteel moved, trying to tilt Poppy's head. She looked up, meeting his eyes. She didn't look away. Even as Casteel's chest stopped rising and falling. Even as his own golden eyes shuttered closed. Even through the tears that would not stop flowing from her own eyes.

Hours or days might have passed, Poppy couldn't be sure, when Kieran came back into the tent. He approached tentatively, the sound of his steps not registering in Poppy's head. Kieran reached a hand out to Poppy's shoulder, letting her get used to his presence before he spoke.

"It's time Poppy. We have to go. There are things that need to be done, steps to be taken."

"No."

"Please, Poppy. Please come."

"No." she says again.

Kieran slipped one hand under her shoulders, and another under her knees. Poppy thrashed and begged, sobbing as Kieran lifted her from Casteel. His blood stuck her leathers to her skin, her hair to her face, and she smeared blood over her face as she wiped her red, swollen eyes, screaming begging for Casteel to come back. Kieran craddled her close, rocking her, as she buried her face in his shoulder and let out an earth-shattering sob, wracking through Kieran's entire body. Kieran carried her from the tent, whispering to her, comforting her, while trying not to break himself. Poppy couldn't think, couldn't see, couldn't breathe as Kieran walked out the flaps of the tent, passed the friends who had lived a lifetime with Casteel. Delano, Emil, Niall and Vonetta fell in line behind Kieran, carrying the Queen of Atlantia through the war camp. No one had noticed that Poppy's marriage imprint had vanished.