⛥Happily Ever After⛥ Darkiplier x Reader

« ✑ » Chapter 3 - Amica Mea

After (Y/n) had left the rebellion, she didn't go straight back to the castle. She felt like she had to make one more stop before she was locked away for protection, for god knows how long... Especially after the Revelation with Marcie.

After emerging from the treeline (Y/n) set her eyes firmly on the building ahead of her for a moment. She sighed. Four years... and she'd sworn she would never find herself back here.

She walked through the dead grass towards the charred, broken-down house. All of the crops in the surrounding farmland were withered, rotten, or a combination of both. (Y/n) stopped several metres from the house.

Even if she wanted to go inside, which she didn't, the roof had almost completely collapsed in on itself due to the fire damage that the framework had sustained. She assumed that the corpses of her family were buried underneath it all but wasn't going to dig through the rubble to find out.

"Mum, Dad. Joey." She drew in a shaky breath. "I know it's been a while. But I wanted to come and talk to you guys one last time before everything changes... for good."

The derelict remains of the house remained still.

"I'm... sorry for that day. And I'm sorry for the person I became because of it. And I hope you wouldn't think any less of me now that I've found happiness in the place that... caused all of this to begin with. I wish you were here so I could introduce you guys to him, and the new person he's trying to become... And I'm sorry if it doesn't bring you peace to know that I do love him, but this is the first time I've really felt happy in my entire life. I hope you guys could have been happy for me, even after everything I did and didn't do."

(Y/n) stared at the pile of blackened wood and brick, the wind whistling through the trees surrounding the property in response.

"Goodbye. For... forever." She took the necklace from around her neck and moved closer to the house, setting the locket and two rings down onto a flat piece of rock nestled at the edge of the rubble. Her hand lingered on them for a moment before moving away again.

"I'll hold you in my heart, always, but I will not grieve any longer. It serves me no more and will not bring any of you back."

The grass swayed around her legs in a comforting manner. Or perhaps (Y/n) had imagined it.

As she turned to leave something caught her eye- a bright red piece of cloth that was buried under some smaller pieces of charred wood. (Y/n) furrowed her brow. Her family didn't own anything with this vibrant of a colour, they didn't have the money to afford it. She tugged it out from underneath the rubble and brushed it off to reveal an emblem.

It was a horned figure embroidered with black thread, grinning a devilish smile and bathed in flames.

Wh... what? Does this mean...? The wind picked up suddenly and the grass began whipping frantically all around her. (Y/n) shook her head and balled up the piece of cloth, shoving it into her pocket. She turned to leave at last and made her way back towards the trees.

The trek back to the castle flew by in a moment, and before (Y/n) knew it she was back inside its walls. She turned a corner into the hallway and was immediately met face-to-face with Anti.

"Well look who's late?" He teased, propped against the wall.

"I'm not that late. I said around midday, didn't I?" She walked past him.

"Dark's fretting like you've been missing for a week," Anti said. (Y/n) stopped walking to turn back to him.

"Surely not?" She asked lightheartedly, hoping he was joking, and Anti pushed off the wall to walk up to her.