1.15: Farewell, Good Soldier

Lina emerged from behind him, a bloody dagger in her hands.

Niall tackled Lina to the ground, wrestling the dagger from her grip. He struggled with her as she scratched and hissed like a cat.

"That bitch has to die!" She screamed. He knocked her back so her head smacked against the stone floor. She stopped moving. Setia cried out and rushed to Elarion, who was lying on the stone floor, blood pooling behind his neck. There was a gaping wound on the side of his throat. Blood flowed freely. Setia placed her hand against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. The blood seeped through her fingers. Elarion reached up to touch her arm, the look in his eyes loving. His lips moved, then he stilled.

"No! Somebody help him!" She screamed. Looking around, the men all stared gravely. Niall wrapped his arms around her and tried to pull her away. She struggled against him, shoving him away from her. She lay across Elarion's body.

"Get a healer! Get somebody!" She cried, tears freely pouring down her face. No nonono, no, this couldn't be happening. Not when she had finally made her choice! Niall gripped her arms firmly and turned her to face him.

"I'm sorry, Setia, he's gone." She shook her head in denial and wept openly. Niall wrapped her in his embrace. She leaned her head on his chest and clutched at his back as sobs wracked her. She looked down at the face of the General, eyes staring open into space. His life and fire extinguished.

"Take her away." Niall ordered the guards, gesturing to Lina's unconscious body. Two of the soldiers nodded and lifted her between them, taking her to be locked in the palace dungeons. Niall returned to stroking Setia's hair.

"How did you find me?" She gasped through the tears and snot. Niall wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"We followed Lina here one night, she didn't hide her tracks well enough." Niall answered solemnly. "But it looks like you were holding your own." He smiled

"I appreciated the backup." She said. He kept his arm around her and helped her to her feet.

"Let's get you back to the palace and cleaned up." He led her by the hand, away from the body of her lover.

The hot water steamed from the large basin as she splashed, washing away the blood and sweat and grime from the dungeons. The warmth soothed her aching muscles, but the pain in her chest felt raw and empty. This world may not be real, but the pain sure felt as if it was.

She sighed and stepped from the warm bath, wrapping a towel around herself. After she dried, she took care to dress in a simple dark red dress that descended to the floor. It felt odd to be in clean clothes after days in the dungeons. Five days, she had learned. They had locked her down there for five days, during which the men searched for her endlessly, not believing for a second that she left of her own accord.

(Ding! Court approval meter has raised to 60%)

Wow, such a boost after a plot for kidnapping and murdering by one of their own respected members comes to light. The people, I guess, believed that she wasn't here to betray them or take over the kingdom. As far as Setia knew, they had brought Lina to the dungeons to await sentencing by the king.

She tapped on her bracelet and said in a sing-song voice.

"Eli, wake up!" She called. The bracelet dinged, then Eli appeared, yawning on her bed.

"Ah, its good to be back in the palace." He sighed. Setia threw a pillow at him.

"You left me practically by myself in those dungeons!" She growled. He shrugged his shoulders.

"There was stuff to take care of, and you weren't going anywhere." He shook his little head. Setia huffed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Elarion is gone." She said sadly. Eli came up to her and placed his head on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, that's how things turned out." Eli said, but something in his voice was off. Setia looked at him.

"I know these people aren't real, but they feel real." She said with a sigh. Eli nodded.

"They are real worlds, just separate lines of reality from where you are from. Different timelines. They are like pocket dimensions." Eli explained. Setia bit her lower lip and nodded, not really understanding. So the people are real?

"Well, now we have Lina in custody for her part in everything, and my approval has skyrocketed." Setia said, pleased with herself.

"You still need to complete the mission." Eli reminded her. She waved him off. She didn't want to think about that now. Having to go through with the marriage, preventing the war. It still drew her to Niall. She still cared for him, but it just felt like it wasn't the same with Elarion gone. She knew she would have to do it, though.

A soft knock sounded at her door. She smoothed her skirts and went to the door to open it. She pulled the door open a fraction and stuck her head out. The guard from the other day, Liam, was standing outside her door.

"Your highness!" He said, his face dropped in awe.

"Yes, Liam?" She asked. He fell to his knees before her.

"Oh princess, we are so glad you are safe! I am here from your father. He awaits your word should things go sour here, ready to invade." He said. Setia shushed him and looked around the hall for anyone listening.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary at the current time." She said firmly. He gasped and nodded. Rising to his feet.

"I am at your call, my Lady." He said with a bow, and walked off.

Setia sighed and leaned against the door. It shouldn't surprise her that men from her father were watching her. She was a spy, after all. He was waiting for her word to start this war anew. Here she hoped to end it.

She moved over to her soft down bed and sat on it, staring out the large bay window at the moon. The moon was brilliant tonight, illuminating the palace in its blue glow. The stars twinkled. She put up a prayer to whatever gods were out there in this world for Elarion. Then she lie back on her pillows, tucked herself in and drifted off into an exhausted sleep.