Blood of Water and Light

𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪-𝕆𝕟𝕖: ℂ𝕪𝕣𝕒

I had no idea how quickly four days of training could go by. My sleeping habits had gotten better from the comfortable bed and rough training. A part of me was settling despite the things I kept imagining in my head. The cold eyes of Ganders and the shadows.

During meals and at night I would talk to Achelios. He opened up and even started to make little jokes. His smile lit up something inside my chest. A few times I'd doze off to his little tales and rants. He seemed happy just as much as I was around him. I had often thought about what we might be if we allowed ourselves to be more.

Not everything we spoke of was all sunshine, often we spoke of our past troubles. I with my mental health and depression. Him with the battles of his childhood. He also told me about why the world thought of him as a monster. He'd made some poor choices and he'd tortured bad people to get where he needed. Too most he was called a monster because he'd do anything even if it was for a small piece of information. He also told me he hadn't done any of that for some time.

Now here I was standing in a mirror being dressed for our marriage. The dress was more beautiful then I could've imagined. It was the velvet dark green, with some glints of rhinestones. They placed a crown with the same green shade stones after wrapping my hair in a bun with braids in it. They put simple makeup just some kohl and a lip stain. They added my sword to my waist because I was instructed to wear it at all times. Anybody might want the blade and besides I looked more tough with it. I still had a few rolls, but my arms and legs were much more toned from everything that had gone on. I felt happy in my own skin, I had before but now it felt more improved. Now I could take down the haters.

I was left alone once I had been prepared. I moved freely in the dress considering the common layered ones I saw. A maid and now a queen not many people could say that.

The door opened and I turned to see Achelios in black with a hint of the velvet green in the accents to his attire. He looked like the evil prince from a fairytale. He now wore a crown as well and it made him almost look out of place, but no less lovely. Him and his sharp thin angles like the blade of a sword.

"You look so lovely you put famous paintings to shame" he said.

"You look nice as well" I said feeling my cheeks turn a bright pink shade.

"Shall we? everyone's gathered" he said.

"yes, I want it over with" I said looking down at the floor.

He stepped forward holding his hand out, "I will not leave you".

I took his hand and we strolled out of the room and down the maze of hallways.

It was being held in the throne room. I saw who I assumed was Achelios father next to the royal family. Abby was dressed in finery and looked like she wanted to throw up. It seemed odd to have a wedding and coronation at a place other then his kingdom, but this was an odd world after all. Logic and normal things that happened were not the same here. I scanned the crowd for Sam's fluffy head, but to no avail.

We walked still hand in hand down the isle full of at least three hundred people. I felt bile rise into my throat as my heart beat pounded. I hated big crowds in general now I was the spotlight. I walked as still and confidently as I could and tried to focus on my breathing.

I felt a strange sensation when we got to the front and turned to face the crowd. I stood away from Achelios to the side while they crowned him king. I scanned the crowd feeling something off. At the back of the room in the farthest corner was a cloaked man. He looked from what I could tell the same shape and size as the one that brought me here. He wasn't him I tried telling myself.

The thump of the staff on Achelios' shoulder snapped me back into the world. When I glanced back towards the corner the figure was gone and I swear I saw the wispy trail of shadows. He wasn't gone though I realized he was in the middle of the isle and he clapped his hands. I started to lose control of my breaths. My heart was racing in my chest. The windows shattered and the room was covered in shadows and darkness.

I had ducked down low and guards had hurdled themselves around the new king and me his queen. They dragged me towards the front line of pews where other people were screaming and ducking. Sam had joined me and crouched low. Some were running around as shadows danced around. When I looked closely I saw the shadows looked like grim reapers swirling around. Their skeletal hands had ripped a few people into shreds. People were pounding at the doors, but they never budged. The guards were being taken and killed one by one like weeds in a garden.

I think at some point I screamed to and suddenly the room exploded into purple light. I was standing up arms outstretched as it emitted from me in one giant blow. The shadows burned away leaving their ghostly smoke that faded into nothing. I collapsed back to the floor feeling blood under my hands. I snapped backwards onto the floor against the wall and looked around in shock.

Next thing I was being hauled up to Achelios bringing me out of the room. Any of the people who'd been inside were running out of the palace. I saw a flash of Sam at our heels as we ran outside into a quiet place in the training field. Achelios sat me down and I looked around for any sign of the figure or the creepy shadows.

"It was the person who brought us here" I said breathlessly.

Sam and Abby joined us their clothes stained with blood that was someone else's. People who were very very dead. I looked down at my hands they were still drenched in it as was my dress. I was alive.

"What? you saw them before and decided not to mention it?" Abby asked.

"I honestly forgot since a moment later I was passed out" I said.

"I don't think they were after us I think they wanted to just make a point and attack" Achelios said his hand making circles on my back.

Sam looked like he wanted to puke and punch somebody at the same time.

"I know otherwise they'd have killed me the first time around" I said resting my hand against my sword only to find it was no longer there.

I got up quickly running back inside with the others at my back. The halls were now empty minus the occasional drop of blood. The castle guards and maids were already hauling the dead corpses and wounded outside. Inside the throne room blood was everywhere. Pews were knocked over. Belongings scattered everywhere. I ran to the front only to find my blade was not there.

"It wasn't random they have the sword" I said looking at the floor.

* * *

I was relieved when we met up later with the king and his trusted men. I stood silently in a corner now cleaned up and in fresh clothes. I was joined by Abby, Winston and Sam in my corner of silence.

They were discussing where the sword might be and how many men they were willing to risk for the effort. Achelios kept glancing at me as though I might disappear.

My waist now felt empty without the blade that I had yet to use much. I had gotten the hang of practicing with it, but not in a real battle.

"Did you see her, she doesn't even need the blade she exploded" One of his generals said.

They all looked at me for a moment freezing me in the spot.

"That was because she had it" Achelios chimed in seeing my peril.

"Why don't we just go get it? Our crew?" Abby asked.

"You mustn't set out not with her, besides the king and queen have a ball to attend" King Calamon said.

Shouts and protests exploded into the room and I resisted the urge to run out the nearest door. I wasn't sure who was right in the matter. Whether I truly needed the sword or not. Abby started to drag the three of us out before we had to witness much. Normally I'd be offended to be taken away, but I was no help in the matter.