A Hero's Bedtime Story.

CH 18: SWEET DREAMS

They would end this. End this all. No more kings and queens, no more war, and no more fighting. Nat and Rhett made their way up the winding stairwell, quiet as mice. There really wasn't much either of them could say anymore. Maybe one day, they'd be able to talk about the events of today, and tell it as a bedtime story to their kids and grandkids, but not now. It still hurt, an open wound in Nat's heart. Her biggest regret is that she never got to say 'I love you' back.

They walked through the halls, pink and elegant. It was meant to show the queens 'soft' and 'kind' nature, but now they both knew better. They should've listened to Jack, should've believed when he called her cruel. How could they be so foolish? The dark bloodstained sword, the one that had taken the life of her beloved, was tucked into her sheath. Suddenly, the faint footsteps of Rhett behind her stopped. She looked behind her and saw the small boy staring into a door that was agar. She walked to stand beside him, to understand what had caught his eye. There, on a bed in the tidy room sat a boy. A boy who wore a blindfold lifted above his eyes, crying red tears. "You stay here with Jack, Rhett." She said. He looked up at her, shocked. "No way! We can help you. I'm not letting you do this on your own." He would say, clearly worried. "You stay here and make sure he's okay, you hear me? I'm not losing one more person to this monarchy crap. This isn't your fight." She told him firmly, walking off. Rhett just stood there, his arms limp at his side. He headed inside the room.

She continued the way that the guard had taken them before. She would stop in front of the large doors. No fear, no surrender. She Opened the doors, bracing herself, but to her shock, found the chambers empty. She walked in, looking around. The room was beautiful, mesmerising almost. She heard a voice as the door closed behind her. "Wondrous, is it not?" spoke the soft voice. Nat swung around and in front of the doors, her only exit, was the queen, Nikki Roman. She backed up and unsheathed the black tipped sword. "Please, please, no need to get defensive. Care for tea?" She said, going to a small table, taking a seat. A white china tea set lay on the table. Nat, curious but still on edge, took a seat across from the queen. She watched as the dainty woman poured the tea into their cups. "I hear your little friend is with Jack. Sweet, is it not? I also hear that your beloved Lucas has passed." She said, hitting a nerve in Nat. "Don't you dare speak about him! You have no right!" She snapped at the elegant woman. The woman chuckled in response.

"Oh, dear, dear Nat,, Your anger has blinded you. You can kill me if you like, but, It won't stop the cycle. They'll just replace me, then the next, and the next after. It's the way of the world. A pity really, poor little Lucas and his dream, dead in vain." She said, taking a sip of her tea. Nat Stood up, rage filling her vision. "I don't care! I'll end this dumb monarchy and the rain of death it leaves in its wake, even if it kills me. Stop talking like you're my mother! You know nothing of me or Lucas." She said, venom in her voice. "Which mother do you speak of? The one that died a pitiful death, or the monster in delusion. Wake up, Nat! This is the way things are meant to be, and will always be. I know you want to be a hero and make a change, but that's not possible, dear. You should stop before you end up like your little boyfriend." That was it. That was the final straw. Nat rose her sword quickly and brought it down in one swift movement. The sound of choking and gurgling filled the room. "This- this isn't the end N-Nat...You are des- destined to fail...." Her majesty would croak out in her final breaths. Nat would let go of the sword, leaving it lodged in the woman, turning her attention to the door. Two frightened faces looked on at her.

Jack and Rhett must've come to help her, but she didn't need it. Roman was right, this wasn't the end, but Nat would not fail. Now she had something truly worth fighting for, a family. She walked up to the two, pulling them out of the room, giving them a weak smile. They were too shocked to even make a sound. "Let's get out of here, this is treason, you know? Time to head home." She said, pushing them along as she walked, one arm around each of their shoulders. "Home-? We don't have a home, Nat! Not anymore..." Jack spoke, his voice dry and weak. She would look at Jack, then to Rhett. "After all this, I've learned that home is people, not places. We'll make a home, and no one will ever hurt us or anyone else again." She said, her voice warm but with a sorrowful undertone. "Do you swear on it?" Rhett asked.

"I swear on it."

(900)

(Words total, not including dividers: 11246)

Thank you for reading.