Fates and Thrones

Rise

Every comment about how Ajita and I do not look like twins echoes through my mind. How are we twins when we have different parents? We are only cousins if that is even what we are. Ajita is the daughter of Maiden and Thalagrim—the King, no, the God, of the Oceans. And me? I am the daughter of Crone and Alfatherus. So, we are not twins. We cannot be.

"I see you're, um... trying to figure out the twin thing," Maiden's voice startled me. She was already approaching, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, her brown hair swirling in the wind that somehow ignored everything but her.

For a moment, she seemed lost in thought, almost as if she were searching for the right words. "Even though my sisters and I...we're, you know, sisters," she said, sounding almost... unsure. I blinked, surprised by the shift. She took a breath, and her navy eyes met mine, softer now. "We're, uh... we're the same, genetically speaking. And, well, you two...you're ours. All three of ours, even if you came from different—" She paused, a sheepish smile flashing across her face. "Bodies."

A small laugh escaped her, and she shook her head like she'd stumbled over her own words. "It's complicated, I know," she admitted, her eyes meeting mine again, warmer now. "But you and Ajita? You're twins where it counts. Sisters in more ways than just blood."

In her half-smile and the way, she struggled to explain, I saw something human, something imperfect. And for the first time, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I wasn't alone in all of this.

"And now, I think it is time for you to mend some of these bonds that are broken." Her hand waved toward Jax, who was standing a little further off. His posture was stiff, his eyes glistening with emotion, though he remained unmoving.

I looked up at her and shook my head, my heart constricting. "Maiden...I cannot..."

"Child, do not be daft," she scolded, her tone sharp, but underneath it, there was a tenderness, as if she truly cared. "Go to him. Do not let our gifts pass you by, or you will not get a second chance. Again."

Without a second glance, she strode off, leaving me standing there.

I watched Jax for a moment, his chest rising and falling with a shallow breath, his eyes not leaving me even though he didn't move. The quiet stretched between us, thick with the weight of unspoken words. I could feel the pull of him, the way his presence seemed to draw me in, as gravity itself had shifted, and I was no longer sure if I could resist.

I took a step forward, then another, my feet moving almost of their own accord. My pulse thrummed in my ears; the air suddenly thickened with the space between us. Jax's gaze softened the closer I got, but still, he didn't move. The silence between us felt fragile, as if one wrong word, one wrong gesture, might break it.

I reached him, standing just a breath away. The pain in his eyes mirrored my own, and for a moment, all I could do was stare into them, the unsaid tension wrapping around us like a cord.

"You're not alone in this, you know," he said, his voice a quiet rasp, as if he was afraid to speak too loudly in case the moment shattered.

I swallowed, forcing the lump in my throat down. "I've never felt more alone."

His hand reached up, tentative, like he was unsure if I'd pull away. But I didn't. Instead, I leaned into his touch as his fingers brushed my cheek, his thumb gently wiping away a tear I hadn't realized had fallen.

"I won't let you go through this alone," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. And then, before I could even think, he pulled me into him, his arms tight around me, pressing me to his chest.

For a moment, I was lost in the heat of him, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my ear. I didn't realize how much I needed this, the grounding warmth of him. But even as I leaned into him, something else stirred beneath the surface, a desire, something raw and unspoken.

"Jax," I whispered, lifting my head to look at him. "I'm scared."

"I know." His lips brushed against mine, barely a touch, but it was enough to send a rush of heat through me. "But you don't have to be. Not with me."

The words hung between us, heavy with promise, and without thinking, I closed the distance. The kiss deepened instantly, his lips pressing against mine with a quiet urgency that matched the fire inside me. My hands found their way to his chest, the familiar feeling of him grounding me, even as the tension in the air thickened.

And then, just as the kiss threatened to consume us, I felt another presence, a shift in the air, a spark of energy.

I pulled back, breathless, to find Veyrun and Solisdr watching us from a few steps away, their gazes hungry but patient. I flushed, but they only smiled in their enigmatic ways, the air around them crackling with unspoken promise.

Veyrun stepped forward first, his eyes never left mine. "We won't interrupt, love," he said, his voice low, teasing. "Unless you want us to."

Solisdr, ever the calm presence, placed a hand on Veyrun's shoulder, his expression soft yet intense. "Take your time. We're here, whenever you're ready."

In that moment, I felt a surge of power; the knowledge that, despite my fears and doubts, I wasn't alone. Not anymore.