12: Darken: Resurrection

Chapter fifteen:Astraea

I fell to my knees upon returning home, body shaking uncontrollably. Oberon knelt to my side, covering me in his cloak. I couldn't bring myself to look at him, not after everything.

"My Star," he pulled my face to look into his eyes, kind and gentle. "You're home now, back where you belong."

I nodded, allowing myself to fall into his arms. As his warmth surrounded me, the shattered pieces of my soul began to knit together, slowly but surely. Oberon whispered soft words of comfort, his breath warm against my ear. His presence grounded me, making the world outside our embrace fade to insignificance.

Odessa looked to Althaeon and slapped him, hard. "You fucking moron, you are the reason we got captured in the first place. Your poor sister here protected your partner and I from Draus's cruelty, but at what cost? Send me back to my ship, I want nothing to do with any of this anymore."

Althaeon nodded, first ripping the collar off her neck, then teleporting Odessa away. He then turned to Violet who then slapped him im turn, "where were you? Where were you when he came for you and took me instead?"

"Violet, my love..." Althaeon looked almost broken in a way. "I did not know he was after me."

"It was obvious that he would be," she snapped at him. "Odessa was right though , your sister protected us, letting him use her as he wished. Remember, thats on you." She then stormed from the room. 

Next was Alexander, his face grim, "she will heal from this." He placed a hand on Althaeons shoulder. "Can you get this thing off my neck and return me to my palace? I have an army to get ready."

He did what he was told to to, broke the collar, "the armies are already ready, we just wanted to get you out first before attacking."

"What are your plans for Daria?" He asked, looking at Thespian now passed out on the floor, "he will want to save her."

"We need a way to kill Draus first," I explained, "without that, there is no way..."

"Kill me." Thespian spoke, "there are two ways to kill him, kill me, or find a host for the powers within the gem you took back." He sat up, looking at Althaeon, "i though it was impossible to do, but the book i read said a demon host is the only thing that can handle that many powers, father knows it too."

"What does that have to do with killing him?" I asked. 

"Once the powers are within the new host, they can revive someone else," he explained, "fathers body...is incomplete, its flickering in and out in and out."

"I did notice that." I said, looking at Thespian. "So we just need a demon? Where would we find one?"

"Did you not hear what father said?" Thespian asked, "Daria is part demon, that is why he wanted to keep her. Because he knows that she can help bring him down."

"Shes held the gem before." Thorne pointed out. 

"That she did," Thespian agreed, "we also need another soul to revive along with it, so if you have someone in mind its best to decide that if we go that route."

The room fell silent, i looked to the floor l, knowing who i would revive, given the chance.
Alexander broke the silence, looking at Thespian, "we have lost a lot of good people. To just choose one...." He trailed off. 

Thespian looked to me, "you choose one. You suffered the most from all of this, you are also the one in charge of the kingdoms, you choose who gets to come back."

"I...i cant." I muttered, "if i brought him back...his wife has moved on and has a new child. I cant do that to him...."

"he will understand," Althaeon told me, "he already knew that she was never truely his. i do think he sould be the one to be brought back."

"who are you talking about?" Thespian asked, looking between the two of us.

"my twin brother," i answered, "Alexander the second, he was once married to Odessa before he died... before mother killed him."

"and your still supporters of your mother, why?" Thespian asked, not knowing the dynamics of our family. 

"she had no control of what she was doing," i answered, "her emotions... they were gone, she felt nothing about her actions and her powers took over. she was punished for those acts, Thorne actually came up with it. but she has more then made up for what she did....but we did lose all of our siblings but me, Althaeon and Amethyst... there used to be eight of us."

Althaeon looked to Alexander, "i think its time to bring aunt Alana into all of this, this is her brother we are dealing with."

"Alana?" Thespains eyes lit up as if he knew who he was talking about, "i havent seen her in years."

"She knew about you?" Althaeon clenched his fists, "and didnt tell me?"

"Alana is in the beast kingdom right now," Alexander explained, our daughter...."

"you married my aunt?" Thespian looked at my uncle in shock, "wait... hold up here," he pointed to Alexander, "you married my aunt, who is," he points to Althaeon, "your fathers sister," he points back to Alexander, "your also the brother of his," back to Althaeon, "mother.... so Alexander and Alana are your aunt and Uncle in two ways, but that also makes you," points to Alexander, "my uncle through Alana..."

he then looked to me, "and your carrying," points to Althaeon, "his half sibling, even though you are also his half sister, and he is my," points to himself, "half brother.... my head hurts."

i stood to my feet, everything was becomming too much for me, everyones eyes on me, know what he did...."excuse me," i ran from the room, throwing up on the floor just outside of the throne room. i fell to my knees, sobbing. 

"are you okay my love," Oberon asked me, kneeling beside me, rubbing my back. 

i looked at him, meeting his eyes, "no, im not okay... im far from okay... what he did to me... he made you watch only the first one... i dont feel right in my own body anymore, i dont feel right in my own skin... i dont think i can keep this... child once its born..."

"before you make that choice," Oberon gabbed my hand, kissing the golden rose etched in the back of it, "know that whatever you choose i will support you, if you keep it, it will be concidered my own child, i will raise it as my own. if you choose to not, then i will find it a good home where it will be loved and cherished. if you choose to end the pregnacy here and now, i will hold your hand and support you."

"however, can you do me one favor before making your choice?" he asked me, wiping my tears with his sleeve. i nodded, "talk to Althaeon about it first... he was also a child born from the evil deeds of his father."

i nodded, "can we get me cleaned up and clothed first?" i asked, motioning to the fact that i was only wearing a cloak. 

"yes," he smiled sweetly, "that we can do." he helped me to my feet, "come along my Star."