The People We Are

Chapter XVI; Anastasia

"Why do you keep coming here? You know I'll win Scheven." Anastasia's voice rang powerful. "I killed her. I'll kill you too." Scheven went limp, and Anastasia knew what he was doing. She made her foot weigh heavier on him.

"She had a chance to fight back. I don't. Give me a chance."

"Never."

"It's only fair."

"Life's not fair, Scheven. Do you think I wanted to kill her?"

"What happened after, sure made it look like it."

"All's fair in war."

"But not in life?"

"Life didn't intend war. That was made by us."

"Life intended A-"

"Lost Queen!"

"Life intended Lost Queen to live."

"Then why did life leave her so early?"

"Death feared you in that moment."

"And you fear death in this one."

"This isn't you, A-"

"I AM TRUE QUEEN!"

"THIS ISN'T YOU ANASTASIA!"

Anastasia fell back.

"Ana... Anastasia. Oh, Arlie, where'd you go Arlie? Xayah, I'm so sorry Xayah. Beau! Beau come here!"

Anastasia remembered this conversation as she laid on the ground. Scheven had finally stabbed her, with the help of Luna, her old enemy, Soleil, her old friend, and Soren, their son whom she had let fall into their hands. A darkness began to consume her, and she let it. "Beau, Aurora, Tage, Selene. I'll watch over you." she said, knowing what was happening. "Walls have ears, doors have eyes." she sang in a shaking voice in order to calm herself. "Trees have voices and-"

That was a while ago.
But now she sat by those who helped Scheven kill her.
She couldn't remember anything between that and Xayah's death.
But now her brother told them what had happened long before.

They had begun to set sail towards the isles with their new allies. Foja, Leod and Scheven had hoped to make themselves helpful by taking over the ship maintenance, but the seven couldn't put their full trust into them just yet. They only operated the ropes, and the seven cycled through steering. Anastasia went up the platform for her turn and saw that Foja was struggling with the ropes while Arlie looked on. Arlie left and as Anastasia took hold she spoke. "Are you alright back there Foja?" she asked. "I'll be fine!" she answered as she fluttered about. Looking down at the deck for a moment, she saw that Ideus was making his way up to the platform. Once there, he told Foja that he could take over the ropes for the rest of her shift. She happily agreed and flew away to sleep. "I love being out here." Anastasia said once Foja was gone. "The wind in my hair, the sun on my face, the endless beautiful sea." she continued, hoping to start a conversation with Ideus. "Me too. It's a nice break from the normal day-to-day, though I wish the circumstances were different." Anastasia nodded. "Too many lives have already been lost. We have to make sure no more are too."
They continued to talk about the loss, then got back to the sea. Eventually Leod and Soleil came for their shifts, and so Anastasia left with Ideus. She wanted to stay on the top deck for a bit, and Ideus stayed with her. They climbed up to the crow's nest where the wind was more violent. Their hair became whirlpools around their faces. They held their hair down and looked out at the setting sun. "Do you miss anything from Faormen?" she asked, breaking their sudden silence. "Not much. I miss the stability for sure, but nothing else. The only good times there are the parties, and even then they get boring." Anastasia turned to him. "I've heard of those parties. New Year's is always a big thing there, isn't it?" she asked. "Oh certainly. We'll find confetti and other random decorations for the rest of the year. And by the time it's all gone, it's a new year." They laughed about that. "What about you? Anything you miss about Zellarid?" he asked. "Like you, the stability. And Beau. I can't remember a day I didn't see him since all of this started." he nodded slowly. "You two are really close, aren't you?" he asked, almost somberly. "Yes, he's my best friend." he smiled as she said friend.
The sun had set and the moon was still rising. They were silent again, when out of nowhere Ideus snickered to himself. "What?" she asked playfully. "The last time we were on this deck at moonlight we were dancing." he said in the same playful tone. "You're right. We had a lot of fun that night, Soleil, Luna and us." she answered. "I think I still remember the dance," he said. "Perhaps we make it an Iphican thing rather than a Zellaridian?" he asked. "That's one way to unite us." he became expressionless. "Zellarid and Mirirejar?" she said, confused at his sudden state. "Oh, of course." he said, turning to face the sea. "What did you think I met?" she asked. "I don't know. I think I'll go to bed. This was nice." he said as he frantically stood. "Oh, alright. Goodnight." she answered. "Goodnight!" he said as he climbed down.
He's been acting weird lately. What's his deal? We used to have good conversations, now he just always wants to reminisce about that dance. It was a little demonstration of the chorus. Oh well, he'll make himself clear eventually. She stared at the moon as she began singing. "Walls have ears, doors have eyes. Trees have voices and-" she heard a voice joining her singing. "Beasts tell lies." startled, Anastasia let the other voice finish. "Beware the rain, beware the snow. Beware the man you think you know. Be like glass, if he breaks you; cut him 'cause a fish with its mouth closed never gets caught."
"You sang well." She called out above. "I learned from the best." Ideus answered before going below deck. Well that's sweet. He's a good friend.