Til Death Do Us Part - Red Queen Fan Fiction

Epilogue - Part 9

Nicholas POV 

"Move it" the soldier holding my arm says forcefully, as he shoves me forward. I'm bleeding, bruised, i think my leg is broken. I can't help but limp forward. The Nortan's have not been kind. In fact, the soldiers who have been escorting me back to Norta have been anything but. From the minute they saw me, i saw the hate in their eyes...after i realised who they were. They tricked me. They are powerless. And now so am I. I cant take power from those who don't have it.

I wonder to myself if this was Coriane's idea. Was this her revenge? I shake the thought. We left on a good note, i let her go. She wouldn't do this to me. But maybe she would. You can never know. I did lie to her before, and maybe this is her revenge.

We travel the rest of the way to the castle by foot, which means that the long walk to the castle gates is the final chance for my escorts to do their worst to me. They push me forward every so often, laughing and shoving me again. They make comments, remarks. It makes me fume inside. I would easily rip their heads off if i wasn't tied up. If i wasn't shackled by silent stone. Power or no power, i am strong. I'm a soldier in my own right. A General of my father's army. I am a Prince.

I could get close to the castle, draw energy from the first silver i find. But i can't now. All i can do is hope our armies are on the way. And that they find me in time. The soldier pushes me again. "Push me again and i promise you will be the first one i kill when i escape" i say between gritted teeth. He snarls but doesn't push me again. We walk for what feels like forever, until the gates come into view.

From afar i can see that I will be welcomed with force. There are over 50 guards lined up at the front of the gates, with a small inner circle. I can see the King, in his armor. He is not wearing what he did when we first visited the castle with my father. He is ready for war...ready for a fight. Next to him i see a smaller figure, also dressed in fighting gear. I can tell by the outline of her body...it's Coriane. I suddenly feel anxious, since i haven't seen her in nearly a month. The last time she was wrapped in my arms, and now i am the one wrapped in shackles.

She stares me down, her expression cold and distant. She has no emotion. I can't tell if she is happy to see me, if she still loves me. I shake the thought. Loves me. She doesn't love me. She doesn't. We don't know each other enough to love. I think i love her. I can't love her. Her face changes for a moment, as she watches me. She looks into my eyes, and i see a spark of something. She bites her lip but quickly shakes it off. She straightens, and focuses again. Her expression back to distant and cold. I don't remove my eyes from her, because i cant and i don't want to. If they kill me now, at least i get to look at something beautiful.

Coriane POV

I have to fight the urge to scream. I have to fight the urge to run to him. I can see that he is hurt, by the way he limps towards us. I can see the blood staining the front of his shirt, his lip is cracked. His cheek is bruised. His hair a mess. A slight stubble grows on his jaw. I want to look away, because the way that he is tied up, beaten, could have been me...he could have done that to me. I watch as the Nortan soldier pushes him forward faster. He says something to him and i want to tell him to stop but i bite my tongue. He is a prisoner and my father's order. I have to accept and shut my mouth. Even if it kills me.

He watches me the whole time, walking forward, his hands behind his back. He never takes his eyes off me. I see a longing in them, or a memory. Is he remembering the last time we were together. I suddenly feel self conscious, as if he knows what i am thinking. I bite my lip and straighten up, trying to mask my face with one of distance.

Its a long walk towards us, and he never takes his eyes off of me. And i never take them off of him. When they reach us, the soldier pushes him onto the floor by grabbing his shoulders. He pushes him down so hard, that Nicholas is on his knees in front of me. I am frozen. I don't know what to do. I don't speak. I can't. "Coriane" he says softly, his eyes still on me. Even on his knees Nicholas still looks like a Prince. Still emanates a sense of strength, power. He lifts his head up towards me, watchin...waiting. The soldier grabs his gun and hits Nicholas on the back. I hear how hard he hits him, and I feel sick. Nicholas doesn't react with a scream or yell. He just lifts his head back up and straightens his shoulders. I know he will bruise there too. I can see his taut muscles tense against the shakles.