The Prison Healer Oneshots

I'll be your silver sword

Kiva, Tipp and Jaren had done it. They'd escaped Zalindov- after the raging rebellion had given them the opportunity to leave somewhat unnoticed, they were safely inside the carriage with Naari driving it.

Tipp was still unconscious though, his head lying on Kiva's lap as she sat opposite Jaren. Kiva's fingers were gently and mindlessly waving through Tipp's hair while Jaren watched, a small smile on his face. Kiva stared at him, thinking about what the future would bring. Jaren had his whole life ahead of him, he was crown prince even if to Kiva it felt like a jab in the stomach- she didn't know how he would react when, no if she told him about her family's heritage. And she still needed to find something for herself and Tipp, something worth living for. The only life she had ever known was now turned on its side, and she would never return.

"Are you alright?" Jaren asked, shifting closer to Kiva. Kiva softly looked away instead her eyes travelled to the window. The world was running away from her.

"Yes." She replied just as softly.

"Kiva, I'm serious. You looked a little worried for a second." Jaren firmly said, his eyes never leaving her face.

"I'm fine, really Jaren." Kiva didn't meet Jaren's eyes, she had enough to think about and she didn't need Jaren worrying about her. And it was likely that he had things he needed to think about too.

"Kiva- it's okay to not be fine. I need you to know that, and you need to know that I will always help you." Jaren leaned even closer to Kiva, his fingers gently turning Kiva's face to properly look him in the eyes.

Kiva felt her heart race for a moment, not only because of Jaren's words but because something inside of her finally cracked, something she didn't know. With Tipp still asleep on her lap, a tear fell down Kiva's cheek then gently falling onto his tired face. She quickly wiped it away to not startle the small boy awake.

"I shouldn't have left. I- I didn't deserve to leave, not when so many other people had to stay..." Kiva quietly whispered, the words dying on her tongue. She closed her eyes so as not to see Jaren's reaction to what she said and for a moment nothing happened. Then she felt Jaren shift over to sit next to her in the carriage, his arm wrapping around her.

"Kiva, you more than anyone deserved to escape. You showed kindness to those who didn't deserve it, you helped save Tipp and more importantly, you protected everyone around you." His grip tightened around her, a squeeze of support.

"But what about everyone else? We left Mot back there, and he's not going to survive this one... What about Raz? He was the last person to help us and a target for Rooke." Another tear fell against Kiva's cheek, the thought about who she left behind was getting to her.

"Kiva, you took your things and left. You did what you had to do for yourself and Tipp. Everyone else would have wanted that. Please believe me." There was a tinge of urgency in Jaren's voice, as if he needed Kiva to understand him. He really did.

Kiva opened her mouth to say something yet she closed it again. She felt her mind spinning around in circles and soon she was sobbing in Jaren's arms.

After a while of Jaren firmly holding her and giving her space, he quietly told her, "Kiva, please believe me. You deserve to be free and I don't care if I have to pardon you as the crown prince. You deserve it. I'm asking for nothing Kiva, I'll help you in any way I can. I'll be your shield, I'll be your sword, just please be free and live." 

Small oneshot cause I hate everything right now <3 

inspired by 'Coraline' by Måneskin