☆» All Queen Visaena Hightower wanted, was to protect her children. Being married off at a young age to a man three times her senior changed her. She was a sweet and kind girl in her youth, but every little experience forced her to toughen up. She...
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Visaena moved swiftly through the shadows of the Lemurian Star's deck, her senses on high alert. Her mind kept straying, her thoughts invaded with visions of metal, but her focus remained sharp. She knew Steve and Natasha were executing their parts of the mission, and now it was her turn to ensure their success.
As she rounded a corner, she came face to face with three of Batroc's mercenaries. They were heavily armed and clearly experienced, but Visaena was undeterred. The leader of the trio sneered, raising his rifle, but she was faster.
With a flick of her wrist, a dark green glow encased her hands. She extended her arm, and a force sent the leader flying back into a metal container with a resounding crash. The two remaining mercenaries exchanged a quick glance before charging at her.
The first mercenary swung his rifle like a club, aiming for her head. Visaena ducked effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise. As she rose, she drove her knee into his midsection, knocking the wind out of him. Before he could recover, she followed up with a sharp elbow to his temple, sending him sprawling to the deck, unconscious.
The third mercenary, more cautious, circled her, looking for an opening. Visaena allowed him to close the distance, then suddenly surged forward, her speed enhanced by her powers. She caught his wrist mid-swing, twisting it until he dropped his weapon with a pained grunt. A swift kick to his chest sent him stumbling back, and she followed through with a telekinetic push that sent him skidding across the deck.
The leader, having recovered, charged at her with a knife. Visaena turned just in time to deflect the blade with her armored forearm. The two engaged in a rapid exchange of blows, the clang of metal against metal ringing out. She parried his attacks with ease, her superior agility and reflexes keeping her one step ahead.
Finding an opening, Visaena summoned a burst of energy that surged through her body, enhancing her strength. She landed a powerful punch to the leader's jaw, followed by a telekinetic shove that sent him flying backward once more. He hit the deck hard, his knife skittering away into the darkness.
Breathing steadily, Visaena stood over the fallen mercenaries, her eyes glowing faintly as the green aura around her began to fade. She reached up, tapping her earpiece to report in. "Three hostiles down on the upper deck. Moving to assist with the hostages."
"Copy that," Steve's voice crackled through the communicator. "Good work. Stay sharp."
With a final glance at the unconscious mercenaries, Visaena turned and continued her mission, her movements swift and silent as she navigated the ship. She used her powers to find out where Natasha was, the two women having a separate mission from the other agents.
She opened the door to find the redhead already in there. The room was dimly lit, the glow from various monitors casting eerie shadows. Natasha was busy backing up the hard drive, while Visaena kept an eye on the entrance, ready for any trouble.
Natasha glanced over her shoulder to see Steve entering. "Well, this is awkward."
"What are you doing?"
Natasha continued her task without looking up. "Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into."
Steve's brow furrowed. "Rumlow needed your help. What the hell are you two doing here?"
Visaena, who had been watching the exchange silently, stepped closer to Natasha. "Steve, there's more to this than just the hostages."
Steve went over to Natasha and looked at what she was backing up. "You're saving SHIELD Intel."
Natasha nodded. "Whatever I can get my hands on."
Steve's frustration boiled over. "Our mission is to rescue hostages."
Natasha, still focused on the task, replied calmly. "No. That's your mission."
She finished backing up the data and pulled the flash drive out, handing it to Visaena for safekeeping.
"And you've done it beautifully," Natasha added, starting to move towards the door.
Steve grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "You just jeopardized this whole operation."
Natasha looked unfazed. "I think that's overstating things."
Suddenly, Batroc, who had been lying unconscious, rose and threw a grenade towards them. With lightning reflexes, Steve deflected the grenade with his shield. He grabbed Natasha pulling her through a window, while Visaena used a forcefield to keep herself safe, just as the grenade exploded behind them.
Natasha brushed herself off, glancing at Steve with a hint of a smirk. "Okay. That one's on us."
Steve's jaw tightened. "You're damn right."
⋆✩⋆
Visaena sat with Lucerys and Eliana in their comfortable living room, surrounded by the soft glow of evening moonlight. The ancient scrolls and books on the Celestrian language lay scattered across the low table, Lucerys diligently tracing the elegant characters under his mother's guidance. He had been struggling for a while now, to understand the language of his ancestors.
"Focus on the pronunciation, Luke," Visaena encouraged her voice a gentle melody.
"You're doing wonderfully." Lucerys nodded, a small smile on his lips as he repeated the Celestrian words after his mother. Meanwhile, Eliana, with her eyes fixed on her cross-stitch, muttered softly to herself, her words almost lost in the air.
"A man with a metal arm... and a star, glinting in the shadows," Eliana murmured, her voice barely audible but carrying an otherworldly weight.
Visaena's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening in surprise. She had become accustomed to Rhaella's prophetic whispers, but this time, the familiarity of the words sent a shiver down her spine.
"What was that, Elia?" Visaena asked, her tone gentle yet urgent. Eliana blinked, returning her mother's gaze with a serene innocence.
"Just a vision, Mother. A glimpse of something yet to pass." She replied, her voice soft as always. Visaena's mind raced, the pieces of a puzzle slowly falling into place. The man with the metal arm, the star – they echoed in her own mind, haunting her dreams with their presence. Visaena had never had prophetic abilities, but as of late, she had been seeing the same dream. Vivid, as if it had actually happened.
Lucerys, sensing the tension in the room, looked between his mother and sister with concern. "Is everything alright, Mother?"
Visaena forced a reassuring smile, though she did not reply to her son. She turned back to Eliana, her expression now grave.
"Elia, sweetling, have you seen this man before? Heard anything else?" Eliana shook her head, her expression serene yet distant.
"No, Mother. Just whispers in the shadows, dancing on the edge of dreams." Visaena's heart clenched at her daughter's words, Visaena had no idea why, but Eliana's visions made her own feel very real. The queen had been on edge for a few weeks now, unsure of why.
authors note
i love writing this lil family sm, i also love writing the way they talk like its so fun lol
