Goodbye beautiful // King Roan

Chapter 16

Letting out a sigh I stood up from the chair. I was in a small room, waiting to be called forward. My dark hair was simply braided, a red feather ran across my right eye -the symbol of justice- with two red dots over it, the symbol for survival. Instead of my usual leather coats I wore a black shirt under a leather corset armor. I had reinforced my elbow high fingerless gloves and knee high boots. Two straps went around my thighs to hold my daggers and of course my holster. But we weren't allowed to have our weapons yet so I left them in the room with my satchel, the only things I cared about. Someone would move them to my station later.

Listening to Gaia introducing Ilian, that traitor, I left my room. I was next and I needed to be there when she called my name. I exited the building and stepped into the crowd, Roan was already on the stage and he found my gaze.

"Princess Celestina kom Westari, step forward." she called. Confidently walking up on the stage with my head held high I heard confused murmurs. By now word had reached the streets and this was the proof that the Westari people had survived. Stopping in front of Gaia I watched her without any emotions on my face. "Accept the sigil of your clan and fight with honor as your own champion." she told me before putting the leather band with my symbol on around my neck. I walked past her and stood beside Ilian, my gaze roaming over the people. I recognized the Skaikru I used to call my friends. Now I did not know what they were to me. Gaia then spoke to the people. "The final Conclave. A battle to the death within the walls of Polis. These warriors will fight until only one remains. When that warrior collects all of the sigils from the fallen and delivers them to me, they will be declared the victor. This final champion alone will tell us which clan is meant to survive in the crypt of Becca Pramheda and which clans are meant to perish in Praimfaya. We honor those who fall by the sword but follow the One that wields it best."

"That would be me." a voice shouted, making her way through the crowd was Luna. She stepped up on the stage. "I'm Luna kom Flokru and I'm the last of my clan."

"We know who you are, the Natblida that ran from her Conclave." Gaia spat out.

"I'm not running from this one." Luna answered without breaking eye contact.

Gaia took the sigil from one of the scouts. "Except this sigil, Luna kom Flokru, and fight with honor as your own champion."

Luna ripped the sigil from her hand. "When I win, no one will be saved." She passed Gaia, her expression of malice, smirking that she could have the bunker for herself, that she could send everyone else to hell. She took her place next to me, giving me a confused look. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm the last of the Westari people." I answered without looking at her. "You're not exactly special, Luna."

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All the champions were in the underground building, training and choosing weapons for the conclave. I had someone fetch my weapons and satchel, I refused to use someone else's weapon. If I died, I wanted to die as Westari, not as Khalida, not as someone else.

Walking around I looked at everyone else training, I watched their weapons and analyzed their strengths. Most of them wanted to be intimidating, showing off how good they were. Me? I rather calculate them and surprise them on the battlefield. Here I could figure out their weaknesses and use it to my advantage. Walking around I got a lot of glances and heard people talking. They all knew that Westari had the best warriors, but most of them just took me for the long lost Princess. They had no idea what was in store for them.

Most of them had mentors and friends talking to them, preparing them. No one had seeked me out. Not that I expected anyone too. I was a lone wolf, I had myself and I would win for myself. I stopped at the section for weapons, watching Luna pick out a spear, but she wasn't the one catching my attention. Octavia behind her was. As soon as Indra left her I walked up to her, well knowing that she probably didn't want to see me.

"Octavia," I announced my present and she turned to me, with no emotions in her face.

"Khalida. Or do you prefer Celestina?" she asked, I could hint a edge to her voice, btu her eyes were almost sad.

"It doesn't matter." I told her with a slight sad smile. "I guess the others have told you that I 'switched sides' and you probably don't want to talk to me, but I have to." she nodded at me, telling me to continue. "I want us to part as friends. Because... knowing you was the best thing that happened to me. You showed me what it meant to have a friend and you had my back when no one else did. I will forever honor and respect your memory, mio amico." (my friend)

"The honor was mine. Your memory will be cherished." Octavia held out her hand for me, a tight smile on her face. "May we meet again, Celestina."

"May we meet again, Octavia." I responded and we parted ways, as friends. Roaming the building I found a vacant and isolated place. I put my satchel on the small table and leaned against it. I had to prepare, get my head on straight. I went over the information I had gathered from the other warriors, thinking over their weaknesses and who to avoid. It wouldn't be easy, but this was what I was trained for, small cramped places with a lot of rubble and hiding places. I had to use it against them. Azgeda was surely not the only clan that used open fields to their advantage. Most here would probably use brute force.

"Celestina." Roan suddenly said behind me and I stood up straight, turning to him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, just preparing." I answered.

"I came to give you this." he said lowly and held out the golden pin with the Westari symbol. I had completely forgotten about it, even less cared what Roan had done with it. "May I?"

I nodded, speechless. Roan stepped up close to me, ash and blood washing over me. He pinned it to my shirt, his breath fanning over my face. His gaze slowly turned to my eyes, watching me intensely. When he stepped back I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. He walked around the table, eyes on the map laying on the table. "It's a dangerous battlefield. A lot of hiding places, crowded ones too." he observed.

"It's a paradise for a Westari." I told him. "Our training is specialized for battlefields like this one. I would advise you to bring the fight to the open spaces. You'll win if you do that." I pointed out the bigger areas on the map, his eyes following my movements. He furrowed his brows at me.

"How do you know?" he questioned.

"I remembered from the war against Azgeda. You brought the battlefield to an open field. That's how you won. Because you're trained for open spaces, we're not."

The left corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. "Anything else I should know?"

I walked around the table and stopped half a meter away from him. "Don't die, Roan. Your people needs you." Standing on my toes I pressed my lips to his cheek, next to his scar. Leaning back I stared right into his blue eyes. "Buona fortuna e che gli spiriti siano dalla vostra parte." (Good luck and may the spirits be on your side.) With that I left him. 

It was a Westari goodbye for whenever a loved one was sent to war.