whenever you are | j.hook

four

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"Treason."

–THE ATMOSPHERE SEEMED to react in time, thunder from above mixing with the gasps of the involuntary on-lookers.

Red gulped, staring the compassionate queen down with forced composure, her voice only just shaking as she continued, "She's guilty of treason."

Her mother smiled proudly at her daughter, praising her for what could be the first time, "Exactly right, my dear." With teeth showing, she grinned at the audience as she announced, "And that means off with her head!"

Gasps and indistinct chatter broke out amongst the crowds, only adding to Red's immediate and immense regret as she was forced to watch Queen Cinderella escorted on stage.

Felix let out a quivering exhale, looking from Red's crumbling resolve to Chloe's terrified self as she mumbled in disbelief, "Mom?"

Despite being surrounded and held captive by the tyrant's guards, Cinderella calmly tried to reassure her daughter who was forced to watch, "It's going to be okay, Chloe."

"Mom?" The princess tried to go to her mother's aid but was held back by more guards. "Mom!"

"Ella!" King Charming was forced on his knees by additional guards, worried for his beloved wife's life.

"I love you," Cinderella looked between her husband and daughter, reassuring them despite knowing this wouldn't end well. "It's gonna be okay."

"Mom? No!"

"Be brave, Chloe."

The Queen of Hearts rested a hand on her daughter's shoulder, leaning to praise in her ear, "I knew you had it in you." She ignored the pleas of the Charming family as she amended, "You'll be a great queen, after all."

Felix watched as Red's resolve shattered, looking at him with glassy eyes full of regret and guilt, almost begging the boy for forgiveness as if this had anything to do with him. He heard the chatters of other families, their commentaries and insults thrown Red's way.

"Look at her, she's enjoying this."

"Like mother, like daughter."

Red's shoulders shook as she breathed heavily, eyes darting through the crowds like a caged bird.

"That's not fair, let her go!"

Deciding he had enough of this, Felix's self-preservation shattered, and his instincts took over. With a sharp breath, he twisted his body and tore himself out of the guard's grip on his arms, muscles coiling with determination. His movements were fast and precise, fueled by adrenaline and a simmering fury. Felix slammed his heel into the guard's shin with a brutal kick, feeling the impact shudder up his leg. A grunt of pain escaped the guard's lips, his grip loosening just enough. Without hesitation, Felix drove his elbow into the guard's chest with all his strength. The man staggered back, gasping for air, but it wasn't enough for Felix. He needed to break free completely.

With a sharp twist of his torso, he threw his head back, smashing it into the face of the guard who had been holding him from behind. He felt the man's nose crack under the force, a sickening sound followed by a muffled cry. Blood dripped onto Felix's shoulder, but he didn't slow down.

The second the grip on his arms dropped, Felix crouched low, his fingers instinctively finding the hilt of the dagger hidden in his boot. He was internally thankful for his father insisting he carry one at all times.

In one swift motion, he pulled it free, driving the blade into the leg of the first guard. The man howled in pain, collapsing to one knee, clutching at his wounded limb. Felix didn't even glance at him, his mind already racing ahead. He had to move fast; there was no time to spare. Backup was surely on its way to seize the crowd.

Without missing a beat, Felix threw a brutal right hook at the disoriented guard. His knuckles collided with the man's jaw, sending him reeling. In that split second of disarray, Felix snatched the spear from the guard's grip, knowing it would serve him better than the small dagger. He barely had time to adjust to the weight of the weapon before another guard charged at him, shouting orders to his comrades.

Felix's reflexes kicked in, the spear becoming an extension of his body as he deflected the blows aimed at him. The clang of metal echoed in the air as Felix twirled the spear with practised precision, spinning it in his hands before thrusting it forward. The spearhead sliced through the air, embedding itself in the arm of his attacker. The guard let out a sharp cry, clutching his injured arm and stumbling back. Felix could feel the weight of the decision to wound rather than kill, but he was prepared to do whatever it took.

The second guard crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain, and Felix wasted no time. He yanked the dagger from the first guard's leg, quickly scanning the area.

Felix called to his father, hurling the dagger towards the thief-turned-king, heart pounding in his chest as he watched the blade spin through the air. Eugene caught it with ease, his movements a blur of skill and precision as he immediately began using the small weapon with deadly efficiency. Felix couldn't help but feel a surge of pride—his father had always been the better fighter.

"Felix!" Amund's voice came from the other side, drawing Felix's attention. His cousin was shielding the rest of the family, but he had no weapon. Amund's eyes were wide, but there was a determination there too, a fire that Felix recognised.

Determined and trustful of his cousin, Felix tossed the spear to Amund, the weapon cutting through the air in a clean arc. His cousin caught it deftly, a look of fierce determination settling over his features. Felix knew that combat training had been drilled into them from a young age; Amund could handle this. With Kristoff's brute strength and Amund's agility, the two began fighting off the remaining guards, their movements coordinated and sharp. Eugene's swift strikes, combined with Amund's quick reflexes, bought them enough time to secure their position.

Felix's heart pounded as he took in the sight. His family was in good hands, for now. With a final kick to the fallen guard's stomach, Felix bent down and snatched the spear from the ground, feeling the weight of it in his hand. But there was no time to rest.

His mind raced, eyes scanning the chaotic ceremony-turned-battlefield until he spotted Chloe running to Red at the stage.

Chloe yelled, "Let her go!" as she attacked while Red tried to pull something from her jacket. The blue-haired princess lunged forward, swiping at Red's hand. The two girls started to tussle, their hands pulling at each other's arms, jostling in a chaotic frenzy.

It was messy, wild, and pointless in Felix's eyes. A waste of time. They were distracted by their own emotions, too focused on each other to see the bigger picture of the coup (and subsequential rebellion) to even notice Felix approaching.

The prince threw himself between the two girls and, with a strong push, released Chloe from Red, her breath ragged as she tried to push back against him.

"Quit it," he huffed in frustration and irritation.

The boy was tall enough to block their view of each other, standing like a wall in the middle of their conflict. Chloe tried to sidestep him, but Felix's hand landed firmly on her shoulder, holding her in place. His eyes flicked to Red, who had taken a few steps back, now clutching a strange object in her hand, looking as though she was ready to bolt. He laid a hand on the other girl's shoulder, a silent support to share his understanding.

Before Felix could even utter another word, before he could demand what was going on or get the two to explain themselves, everything went bright. A searing, blinding light exploded from the object in Red's hands, swallowing the three of them whole. The air itself seemed to hum, vibrating with an energy that was foreign and terrifying. The world around them was swallowed by that brightness, and for a moment, all was lost in the glare.

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