Bows, Apples, & Roses

~ 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 ~

As golden and shining as the sun itself Elantines palace shone against the dark night sky.

It had been a little bit since Aria had been back here, where she first met Legend, and it definitely felt different.

The garden was just as flourishing and beautiful as before, but there was an anticipation in the air that seemed to radiate off of Aria. She was anxious to see Legend again, although not quite sure why because he could still be just as irritated with her as he had been when he left her on that bridge, the scar on Arias hand burned in remembrance of what Legend had done to it, but maybe he still cared for her like when they had kissed in a different garden.

It truly is our thing to be found in gardens together.

Just as the thought crossed Arias mind and she walked under an archway dripping with lilac, she saw him.

His dark figure was standing tall under the roof of a white gazebo. Vines sprouting with tiny flowers crawled all over the structure and more lilacs swayed in the breeze, hanging around the edges.

The light of the moon caught on the golden disk in his hand and Aria recognized it as the compass her life was risked for.

She was ready to strut right up to Legend, fling the compass over the hedges and yell at him for leaving her and dragging her into whatever mess he created. So she stepped out of where she had been watching him and just as as his name left her mouth, another person, their voice strong yet light, spoke at the same time saying something different.

The voice was so enchanting that Arias went unnoticed and she slipped back into the shadows right as the speaker walked up to Legend. A long, white train followed the mystery person, they seemed to glow against the dark greenery. It was the glow that made Aria take a closer look at them and she stifled a gasp at who they were.

Priestess, Priestess glided over to Legend and spoke low words with an evil smile stretching her pale face, the golden circlet atop her head gleaming in the moonlight.

Aria knew from storys that the Fate Priestess, Priestess could ask people questions and if they didn't answer truthfully, they'd die. Her voice was said to be so enticing that you'd answer any question regardless. So what could Legend want with her? It was obvious he had been waiting for someone and she must've been it, but being near her was dangerous. Out of anyone he definitely had secrets he wouldn't want to share. Seeing her confirmed that the Fates had been let out of the cards. A shiver crept down Arias back as she realized what that meant.

Unable to hear them, Aria decided to creep closer, silently cursing her boots that clicked on the cobblestones.

"..yes but you realize that if I help you I'm going to want something in return. I always get what I want." Priestess, Priestess was speaking softly but there was an edge to her words.

Aria was crouched between two bushes right beside the gazebo. She couldn't see what was happening but she knew exactly what Legend looked like right now.

His jaw was set, hand gripping the compass, but still looking completely neutral and unfazed. He is an actor after all.

"Yes, Priestess, I wouldn't have called you if I hadn't thought of that."

Hearing his smoky voice sent a small jolt through Aria, which she quickly brushed off as lasting irritation from their last interaction.

"Tell me, what is it you want from me?" Her voice caressed him delicately.

"I need you to question someone for me. I need to know who they are."

"Why?"

With her one word question he answered "Because they're what stands between me becoming the heir."

Aria could practically see Priestess, Priestess circling Legend. "And what is this compass in your hand?"

A small click sounded and Aria saw it being held over the balcony edge right abouve her, Legends arm holding it out. "It's a forgotten fated object. It leads me to my greatest desire."

Priestess, Priestess had walked over beside him and lightly tapped the glass "Where is it pointing now?"

Legend moved closer to the edge and Arias breath caught at the sight of him.

His beautiful, dark features and thick brows furrowed. His inky black eyes focused on the compass. "It should be towards my target."

"Then why is it pointing down." She wasn't asking a question, and her voice sounded less enchanting and more irritating, if that was even possible.

"I didn't call you here to play games." Finally given a break from her relentless questions he spoke exactly what he wanted to say.

"Oh I see," Priestess, Priestess huffed gently, she didn't like being treated like this. "and who are you?"

Oh no. Legend-

Before Aria realized what she was doing she stood up, seeing Priestess, Priestess and blinked to see the familar red ribbon attaching itself to her. One moment, the Fate was standing taller then Legend about to pull his best kept secret out of him, the next her back was on the gazebos flooring.

Aria turned to leave but she made eye contact with him. A mistake.

Legend was staring down at her, his gaze looking at her eyes with such intensity Aria almost couldn't look away. His compass was tipped towards her and out of the corner of her eye she saw it's spindle pointed directly at her.

They didn't say a word.

But Priestess, Priestess did.

"What did you do?" Her angelic voice was directed at Legend, she hadn't noticed Aria yet, and he didn't move attention from her when he answered,

"Nothing."

The Fates gaze followed Legends and she saw Aria standing in the bushes, still looking at the compass.

"Who are you?"

The question filled her mind and flashes of her memory as the Jade Goddess, her wreaking havoc and bloodshed, flooded her thoughts. Aria turned to run but she felt words willing to scream from her mouth the more she suppressed an answer. She would die if she didn't let them out but revealing her true identity would be worse then death-

Priestess, Priestess and Legend only saw the back of Aria and her golden curls as she ran away.

She was stumbling and crawling between hedges feeling weaker and weaker, knowing that the pounding in her head would only stop if she said her answer aloud. It wouldn't be long till she died, and the footsteps of someone were close behind her.

No. I will die before I admit to who I am.

A scream wanted to rip from her throat but Aria fell onto the cobblestones, scraping her knees and hands. She would cry out if it didn't risk saying what she wouldn't.

And then the world went black.

Ariaellis Sage died, the moon shining gloriously down onto the dead Fate.