(Valkyrie Cain and Dexter Vex love story)The Descendants

Sisters

Tanith found Valkyrie sitting on the end of her bed staring glassy-eyed at the blank wall in front of her. She quietly sat down next to her dark-haired friend and took her sword out. The recently polished blade reflected the lights and cast a pretty pattern onto the wall Valkyrie was staring at.

"So, the end of the world is coming again," Tanith said with a fed-up sigh and she slid her sword back into its scabbard. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Mmm," Valkyrie grunted, not showing any expression.

"Okay, something is definitely wrong with the universe if the Valkyrie Cain isn't jumping on the opportunity to be sarcastic." Tanith frowned, wide-eyed in mock horror. Valkyrie gave a small smile and exhaled.

"I really don't want Alice to be brought into this world. I've been through so much and I know as well as anyone how dangerous this life is. I don't want that life for her." she ruffled her hair and rubbed her eyes. She looked truly tired.

"I know, Val. Maybe it's best if she does know. If she's going to be a target than at least she can defend herself. Plus, we already know she has magic. If she bonded with the sceptre then it's definite." Tanith replied and began braiding Valkyrie's hair in a single fishtail.

"I guess. Wait. How do you know about the sceptre?" Valkyrie panicked.

"Some Roarheaven mages saw you and told a few people. Skulduggery stopped the information from spreading but not before it got to us." Tanith admitted.

"Us?"

"Yeah, Skulduggery, me, the Dead Men, Monster Hunters, China. Us." Tanith nodded and reached forward to pull a hairband from around Valkyrie's wrist.

"Oh no." the colour drained from Valkyrie's face.

"We all understand why you did it. You had no choice. It was admirable that you were strong enough to do what needed to be done to save the world. Skulduggery couldn't." Tanith pointed out.

"It's not admirable. It's terrible. And now...." Valkyrie began. She was about to shut her mouth and keep her newest secret to herself but something stopped her. It was secrets that had gotten her into the mess she was in. If more people had known she was Darquesse she might have been able to have been stopped. So she gave in.

"Tanith, I have to tell you something. I've been contemplating on who to tell, but I can't tell Skulduggery." She confessed.

"Oh good god. If Skulduggery doesn't know it must be pretty bad." Tanith said, her face the perfect picture of concern.

"Well..." Valkyrie tilted her head guiltily.

"Oh come on Val! Please don't tell me it's another Vampire!" Tanith pleaded with a hopeful expression.

"What! No way!" Valkyrie gagged in reply and pretended to shove her fingers down her throat.

"Okay, that's a good thing I guess." Tanith nodded and breathed in and out loudly. "It can't be worse than Caelen, can it?"

"Well..." Valkyrie repeated.

"Okay, with you being Darquesse a ten, you dating Caelen a seven, and you liking Dexter a one, what would you rate it?" Tanith scrunched up her face and closed her eyes in anticipation. Clenching her fists on her sword handle.

"WAIT, WHAT?!" Valkyrie shouted in surprise.

"Seriously Val? You didn't think I knew you had a thing for Dexter? If that was it then you gave me a heart attack for no reason." Tanith sighed in relief and fanned her red face with her hands.

"Well, why are you being so calm about this! It's an apocalypse! Faceless Ones take me away now!" she yelled and flopped down backward on the pillows, dramatically pretending she fainted with a delicate arm on her forehead.

"Val, it's not a big deal at all! Is that what this is all about? You falling for Vex?"

"Okay, one, I haven't 'fallen' for Dexter...Its...a minor crush. Two, it is a major problem!"

"Val, let's not lie to ourselves here, You've fallen for him. Ever since that Requiem Ball, you have had a thing for him. And why is it such a big deal?" Tanith grinned.

"Well, there are many reasons! One, he's a few hundred years older than me! He probably thinks of me as a kid! Two, he knows about Caelan and Fletcher and what I did! Three, he knows that I was Darquesse! Four, he's a Dead Man and is one of the most important sorcerors in history. Five, he's very sought after. Six, Skulduggery is going to find it weird that his (practically) daughter has a thing for his best friend. Seven, Saracen knows things! Eight, Saracen and Dexter are best friends so if Saracen knows then Dexter does, or will soon! Nine, if he finds out it will ruin our friendship! Ten, he probably likes someone else. Eleven, he has dated so many people and all I'd ever be is a tiny polaroid in his collection of photographs!" Valkyrie gasped for breath when she had finished. Tanith paused for a while, trying to process everything she had heard and prepared to dive into a rant of her own.

"Age means nothing to sorcerers, Val! Fletcher and Caelan happened, like what? Eighteen years ago? You are not Darquesse anymore, you never really were, she was someone else in your body. If anything he'd want you more knowing you can handle so much. You're just as famous than Dex, and just as sought after. People don't blame you for Darquesse anymore! Not after you saved the world! Again, might I add! Skulduggery can build a bridge and get over it. And if Saracen has been pestered by someone as strong-willed, annoying and persistent as Dexter Vex for hundreds of years and not cave in, I'm sure he can handle him for a few more centuries! Dexter isn't involved with anyone at the moment, and if he was interested in someone, I'd bet my house on you. Val, there is a reason why you'd be the polaroid and not just another ordinary picture. You'd stand out against all the others because you are amazing and anyone would be lucky to have you." Tanith smiled at Valkyrie, who looked more like a child now than she ever had. It warmed a part of her to know that Valkyrie would come to her before Skulduggery for something. Even if it was boy advice.

"Tanith, you are always there for me when I need you to tell me the truth. Now is one of those times."

"I just told you what I honestly thought. Have I ever been wrong yet?"

"Let me think about it for a minute..." Valkyrie pondered in silence and Tanith laughed. "You promised that everything would be okay in the end. But it's not. Ghastly is...gone. Shudder is gone. We were betrayed by Ravel. Stephanie died. Carol was killed, Kenspeckle died, so did Bliss, and Gordon, and Solomon, and Melancholia."

"I said everything would be okay. Not perfect. I miss everyone too, especially Ghastly. I...it hurts me every day knowing that I'll never have that steak. But we need to let go of the past. Don't you think I don't know what this is really about? I know you're scared. Sure, those reasons you just gave me might be part of it, but they only make up twenty percent. You're scared of what happened before. That you won't be a good girlfriend or you'll hurt him. You're scared that he'll hurt you. Scared of what Fletcher will think because you don't want to hurt him again. I've been where you are now, Val. The seventy years I have on you didn't go to waste. I've learned from my mistakes, so trust me. You have to tell him." Tanith said, her voice suddenly flatter, and the grin fading.

"Tanith...How? How can I get over everything that's happened? I...I killed Alice. I killed so many people, Tanith."

"I understand that it's hard to let go. I never said to get over it, those scars will always be there. But we don't have to let it stop us. Remember I was in your shoes as well. When I was taken over by the remnant I did so many things I regret. Before all that, I had the chance to tell Ghastly how I felt, and I never did. And now look at what happened. I'll never get the chance to tell him." Tanith's voice cracked as she held back her tears.

"Okay...I think I'll tell him. Just... not yet."

"Whenever you're ready. Just don't wait too long." Tanith advised.

"Okay." Valkyrie agreed and Tanith got up to leave. "And Tanith?"

"Yeah?" she said and turned back.

"Thanks for being there for me," Valkyrie said sincerely.

"No problem. That's what sisters are for, Val." Tanith gave a sad smile and walked out, leaving Valkyrie to herself.