Superhuman Catastrophe

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Ayashee nodded at what Eddie said.  She was glad to have a friend like him in what could be the final year of her life.  He was such a good man.  It was a shame he would have to do the bidding of that evil woman.

Just as the queen demanded, the next day, after Ayashee had gotten some rest, she was taken back down to the dungeons.

Thankfully the queen did not make it difficult to find Aisha and the nursery door was unlocked so that Eddie could easily come and go.

However the queen was often with the child.  Today was no different and the man would find her holding the baby and sitting in a rocking chair as she quietly hummed the baby to sleep.  She looked up and smiled as Eddie entered the room “Oh, hello Order.  I suppose you’re here to see Time on behalf of the Oracle?”

She shifted the child in her arms so that Eddie could get a better look at her “Isn’t she beautiful?  I could do without the darker skin but there’s nothing to be done about genetics.”

Honestly, he was just glad that the queen wasn’t going to make it difficult to see Aisha. Seeing Ayashee, on the other had... But he wouldn’t know until he tried. Something that would come later.

For now, the former knight offered a small smile as the pale queen greeted him. “I didn’t see the harm in it; She won’t be able to see Time herself, after all.” Ugh. He wished he could call Aisha by her name. Her actual name, not the concept she was to be a goddess over.

For now, though, he had to pretend. Looking at the small child with a rather fond look. “She’s quite beautiful indeed,” Eddie agreed, watching the newborn sleep. She took after her mother, he could tell. Maybe that’ll make Ayashee happy.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

Mun Vs Muse

Tagged by: @unknown-rps

Tagging: ANYONE

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

“I’ve been better.” Ayashee spoke softly as Eddie held her hand. She gave the two boys a tired smile.  Her eyes then drifted to the doorway “How was she?  Did you see her?  Did she have black hair?  Were her eyes a rich gold or a pale silver?”

Chaos shook his head “The queen took her away before we could get a good look at her.”  As he said this the boy crossed his arms.  He felt sorry for the woman.  She hadn’t even gotten to hold or even see her baby before that bitch took the child away.

With her free hand Ayashee covered her face “Of course she did.” Biting her lip the new mother fought back a sob.  She would never get to see her baby.  Aisha would never know who she was, and that was exactly how the queen wanted it.  She wanted to be the mother so she could manipulate her child from the start.  So she could twist Aisha into the same cruel and heartless person she was.

She squeezed Eddie’s hand “What’s going to happen now?”

Funny, it was a question she never thought she would have to ask.  She had always known what was going to happen, what path to take, but now… She was terrified to look at the paths that lie ahead.

“You’re going to be alive,” Eddie told her, heart already breaking when he found that she couldn’t even hold Aisha. It just wasn’t fair. “She’s going to let you live, even just for a little while longer. On the off chance that Aisha becomes ill.” The squeeze was returned, fully understanding why Ayashee would have asked.

Finding out when you die had to be a terrifying thing.

There was a soft sigh, glancing towards Chaos before looking back at Ayashee. “Once you’re rested, the queen has said that you’re going to be going back to the dungeon... But I’ll visit whenever I can. I’ll tell you about your daughter whenever I can.” If Ayashee was going to depart from this world at any point, she deserved to at least know what her daughter looked like.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Gaki continued to fawn over the child.  If one didn’t know any better they would almost think she the mother.  She turned to take the child to the nursery she had made though before she did she gave another order “Don’t kill the mother just yet.  We’ll need to keep her around in case the child falls ill though only for a little while.  Clean her up and once she’s back to full health put her back in the dungeons.”

Chaos looked back at Eddie as he heard the queen’s orders.  Yet the teen knew there wasn’t anything either of them could do.

“Mama I wanna be held too!” Death whined as he tugged gently on her dress. “Hush Death, in a minute.  We have to take care of your new baby sister first.” Gaki spoke as she and the toddler made their way to the nursery.

The doctor would turn and go back into the room Ayashee had been staying in.  He and the midwives who had assisted him would leave after a few minutes.  One of the midwives walking up to Eddie and Chaos “You can go see her now if you want, she’s a bit tired so she likely won’t say much but you can go in there at least.”

It was a small blessing, he supposed. Ayashee would live to see another day. Perhaps longer, if the queen was wise; Newborns wouldn’t be out of danger of becoming ill for at least a year, maybe even longer. A small blessing, and one he knew wouldn’t end well no matter the path it took...

Still, once the midwife gave them permission to see Ayashee, Eddie was the first to enter. He took one of her hands in his, giving it a gentle squeeze as he smiled at her. “How are you feeling?” His voice was barely above a whisper, the former knight clearly concerned for her.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

The queen shook her head as she reached for her pen to start signing off on some documents “Not until you have proven more trustworthy.  You are dismissed for now but do take some time to review your duties thoroughly.”

It had been a brief meeting to say the least but until Eddie had shown his loyalty to her then the details of her plans could not be shared.

As Eddie left the room he would once again be free to roam the church.

After that everything seemed almost… Ordinary.  Ayashee and Chaos were often found in the common room either simply chatting or playing a board game.  Death thankfully was kept far from the woman after what had happened on their first day.  Though his tantrums were often heard throughout the halls of the church.

Time seemed to pass much more quickly now that they were out of the dungeons.  Soon enough, Ayashee’s due date arrived.  For most of the day the woman seemed fine but as the evening approached it happened.

No one but the doctor’s were allowed in the room as the woman gave birth, even the queen was made to wait outside.  Though she would pace back and forth impatiently muttering to herself.

Chaos waited not too much farther down the hall while Death spied on them from around the corner.

It would feel like hours later before finally the cries of a baby filled the church.  The queen’s face lit up with excitement and she stood in front of the door waiting.  A minute later the door opened and a man in doctor’s robes stepped out with a small squirming bundle swaddled in a cotton blanket in his arms.  He would hand the child to the queen who almost squealed with excitement.  “It’s a girl.” he confirmed.

Gaki smiled as she turned away from the doctor and cooed gently “Ohhh, look at you.  My little Goddess of Time.  Aren’t you beautiful?”

Too soon, really. Her due date arrived far too soon for the former knight’s liking. But when a child is ready to be born, there was nothing that could be done to stop it. So when the time finally came, all that could be done was to wait.

Eddie stood by Chaos as they waited, hands twisting together while eyes focused on the door. There was a small sigh of relief when little Aisha’s cries began to sound out, silently glad that she was born as healthy as he had hoped. But now she was in the arms of the queen. And Ayashee...

He looked towards the room with a rather sad expression, wishing that there was something he could do for her. But he barely had the queen’s trust, even now. There was nothing to be done.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Ayashee was thankful for Eddie’s help in getting her back to her room.  It would be odd not to be in the same room as her friend but she would survive.

In the morning Eddie wouldn’t need to wait too long for the priest to come for him.  They would lead him through the church to the queen’s study.

As the door opened and the knight entered Gaki would gesture for him to sit down across from her.  "Sir Edmund, from now on that will no longer be your name.  I’ve decided that you will become the God of Order.  Your job will be to assist me in keeping the peace, especially between the two, soon to be three, other gods.  Death, Chaos, and Time.  You will also be sent to the front lines when necessary to help plan attacks and ensure that things run smoothly.“

As she spoke she filed some papers into a pile and handed them to the man "This list has more details of what your tasks will be once you’ve proven yourself trustworthy.”

He knew that he would lose his name. Egril and his brother already had, after all. And he rarely heard the queen call Ayashee anything other than ‘Oracle’. But to be deemed the ‘God of Order’... Was this what her council was truly to be? Prisoners called ‘gods’? “Yes, your Majesty.”

It wasn’t a terrible fate, he supposed. If he was to help keep the peace between the others, then it would also help him be closer to Aisha. The child that the queen was calling Time. Eddie took the papers he was handed, glancing over them to familiarize himself with his future duties.

Simple enough... It seemed like he would be akin to a judge. Not too far off from what his duties had been in Gawayne. “...Is there anything else you would like for me to know?”

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Gaki waved a hand “Yes, yes, that’s fine.  Sir Edmund I expect you to come to my study first thing tomorrow.  I’ll send one of the priests for you.”  With that, and one last glare at Chaos, the queen left the room.

Ayashee let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.  She placed a hand on Eddie’s shoulders.  She felt sick after watching that.  The way that the queen had treated that boy… Was that the same way her little Aisha would be treated?

“Ayashee?  Are you okay?” Chaos asked as he saw how green the woman looked.

She forced a smile “I… I’m fine I just- I’m just tired.  The queen is right, I should rest for the night.  Thank you for speaking up for me Egril.  It’s appreciated.”

“Yeah, anytime.” the boy said as he went to go sit back down “Uhm, well, goodnight, I guess.”

Eddie could understand why Ayashee felt the way she did. Knowing that she was to bring a child into the world, to be raised by a witch like that... And arm wrapped around her, comfortingly, as a reassuring smile was cast towards Egril. “It has been a long day, for both of us,” he tried to assure the boy, before looking towards Ayashee. “Good night, Egril. We’ll probably be seeing you tomorrow.”

With that, he guided her back to her room. Making sure she was settled down, that she was alright after what they had seen. Aisha, little innocent Aisha, wouldn’t be treated like that. She wouldn’t end up like that. Eddie was going to make sure of it, whether it was by protecting her, or teaching her to pretend.

Eventually, though, he did have to turn in for the night himself. Especially if he was going to have an early morning with the queen... It was a less than pleasant thought as he ate his dinner and got ready for bed, finding himself unable to sleep for a while.

But he did eventually, in perhaps the most comfortable bed he had ever slept in. Once morning rose, it was only a matter of waiting for the priest to fetch him for his meeting with the queen.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Gaki looked to Eddie as the knight quickly interjected before Death could say more and then looked to Chaos.  The boy nodded “It’s true.”

With that confirmation Death stared wide eyed at both of them, jumping when the queen spoke again.

“Death, what have I told you about lying to me?” she spoke, keeping up her sweet tone but it sounded strained.  Grabbing a fist full of the boy’s hair the queen threw the boy to the side.

“I’m sorry!” the boy sobbed as he held his head.

“Your majesty, please calm down.” one of the priests tried to reason with the woman but was quickly silenced as she spun around and slapped him.

“Silence!  I am god!  He needs to learn what sinning before god means!” she snapped.  She then turned back to the toddler “Now go to your room and pray for forgiveness!”

Quietly sniffling the boy got to his feet and the priests quickly ushered the toddler out of the room.

The queen then turned to the two males and the woman and smiled “I am sorry about Death.  He is normally quite well behaved.”

“Only when you’re around.” Chaos muttered quietly.  Though not quietly enough as the queen’s expression briefly flashed to one of annoyance and she then struck the boy across his cheek.

“That is enough from you.” she spoke before turning her attention to Ayashee “This stress is not good for the baby.  Why don’t you retire to your new quarters for the night and I shall request dinner brought to your rooms.”

He flinched as the queen took her anger out on the child, the first of several as her small rampage continued. It was a small blessing that neither he nor Ayashee were on the receiving end... But, then again, Ayashee was with child, and Eddie was the one to speak the truth.

So long as he didn’t speak crossly towards her, it should work in his favor for their plans.

He grimaced, briefly, before bowing towards the queen. Doing his best to show respect, in hopes to gain her trust as well. “I can escort her back to her room if you would like, your Majesty,” Eddie offered. “In order to ensure that no other incidents occur.” He was certain that nothing else would happen, but one could never be too sure. The knight had no idea what others could be living in the church, nor whether they would be in a mental state like Chaos or Death.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

“That’s amazing!” the boy cried.  He then looked down a bit sheepishly “Uh… D- Do you think I could touch your belly?”

“Of course.  She’s not quite as active today so you probably won’t feel her kick but, if you want.” Ayashee invited.

Reaching out Chaos carefully placed his hand on her belly and smiled a little more genuine.  He looked at Eddie though, he was a bit confused that he was the one saying that and not the mother but… He could guess the reasons for that.

Screeching then filled the room and a toddler ran up to them.  "It’s a baby!“ the little boy screamed.  He ran up to Ayashee and immediately slapped his hand onto her stomach.

Ayashee let out a yelp at the action and immediately tried to step away from the child but he whined and grabbed onto her dress which caused him to stumble and fall on his face as the woman backed up.  The child immediately started wailing, his face read from hitting the stone floor.

Chaos tried to drag the boy to his feet but the toddler just flopped back down and started throwing a tantrum.  "SHE PUSHED ME!  MAMA SHE PUSHED ME!” he screamed.

A few moments later the door burst open and two priests rushed to the child and tried to calm him down as he continued to behave like a banshee.  The queen following soon after “What is going on here?!” Seeing Eddie and Ayashee the woman rolled her eyes “Of course it’s you two.”  She walked over to the boy and knelt down.  The second she put a hand on the boy’s head he immediately calmed down.

“What is it Death?  Did these heretics hurt you?” she asked in an almost motherly sounding tone.

“Sh- She p- Pushed me.” the boy, Death, hiccuped as he pointed to Ayashee.

Of course the moment would only last for so long. It was almost peaceful, a smile on the knight’s face as he watched the interaction between Arashee and Chaos. He just knew she would be a good mother, if she was given the chance. Curse that woman...

But it didn’t last long. They never lasted long. He visibly flinched when he heard the screeching, the toddler that had appeared moving faster than Eddie could have anticipated. It barely felt like there was any time to react, the knight letting out a shout of his own as the child slapped Ayashee’s stomach. Next thing he knew, the boy was on the floor, Chaos trying, and failing, to get him to stop.

Eddie had moved by that point, placing himself between Ayashee and the other’s in the room. An arm draped across her chest and shoulder, ready to pull her out of harm’s way should the toddler try something again. Or the queen, as she made her appearance.

Of course...

“He slapped her stomach,” Eddie interjected, fixing Death with a rather stern look for a brief moment. He then focused on the queen, his voice still even as he spoke. “All she did was step back to protect the baby, and he fell. There was no pushing involved. Chaos can attest to that as well.”

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

“It’s nice to meet you Edmund.” Chaos greeted, managing to force a tired smile.  The smile soon faded when Eddie offered an apology and he too looked out the window.  "36 countries and counting.“ he spoke.

Ayashee looked horrified "Really?  That many??”

The boy nodded “Yeah, the bitch gets more efficient with each country she takes over.  Not to mention that with each one her army grows.”  He then looked to Ayashee’s belly, deciding he wanted to change the subject “Soooo, when’s the baby due?”

Ayashee smiled softly and rubbed her stomach affectionately “Ah, sometime next week.”

Chaos’ eyes widened “Really?  That’s wonderful.  Congrats.”

“Mm, yes, it would be more wonderful though if we weren’t trapped in this place.” she mused quietly.

“Well, I mean, it’ll be kinda nice to have a baby around?” Chaos said, trying to cheer Ayashee up “I have a baby brother but… That bitch has ruined him.  He hardly talks to me anymore except to scream and throw a tantrum.”  Realizing he was souring the mood again he tried to smile “Oh, are you having a boy or a girl?”

“A girl.  Her name’s Aisha.  It means "hope.”

Thirty-six... Was that more or less than when Gawayne had fallen? It upset Eddie a bit that he couldn’t recall, settling for the subject change that Chaos presented. Talking about new life was far more preferable than reminding themselves of the destruction that the queen has been carving through the landscape.

“From what the medic has been saying, she should be quite healthy as well,” Eddie offered, once again with a faint smile. “And if I have any chance on it, she should grow up to be...better.”

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

As he explored Eddie would find that almost everything about the church was intricate and elegant.  He would of course find a few locked doors but those that were open lead into the church’s larger rooms.  A library, a kitchen, what looked like a training room, and a lounging area.

There he would see Ayashee, the woman had been cleaned up a bit and she too was wearing fresh clothes.  A boy, probably no more than 12, sat in the chair next to her. They both turned when the door opened.

“Ah!  There you are Eddie.” Ayashee greeted, her eyes then darted back to the boy next to her and she gestured to him “This is prince-”

“Former, prince Egil.” the boy interrupted “Everybody just calls me Chaos now since the queen renamed me.”  He stood up and bowed to their new companion “It’s nice to meet you.”

Everything about the boy felt… Tired.  From his dull brown eyes that contained dark circles to his messy black hair and fair skin.  “I was from Tetrial.  It… Was a small country up north.” he muttered, and from the way he spoke, one could practically feel the sorrow in his voice.

There was a gentle smile when he found Ayashee and the boy, glad to see that she was doing fine. Probably had just been sent to a separate bathhouse, it would seem.

His heart broke just a little more when he saw how young the boy was, how tired he looked... It wasn’t fair to him. None of this was fair to anyone. But Eddie still gave a bow towards him, out of respect for both his former and new title. “Edmund, former knight of Gawayne.” The queen, thankfully, had yet to give him a new name.

It made him wonder just what she would call him, though.

“I’m sorry for what has happened to your country,” he said after a moment, moving to stand beside Ayashee. “Though it does seem to be the norm at this point...” He frowned for a brief moment, glancing out a nearby window with a sigh.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Once Eddie had gotten himself cleaned up the golem would lead the knight back into the church and up a long flight of stairs.  They would pass a few of the priests and priestesses who worked in the church, each one giving the boy an odd or curious look before continuing on with their daily duties.

On the church’s second floor were a series of hallways.  He would be taken down one before the golem stopped and opened one of the many doors.  Inside was a bedroom, it was a little bigger than his cell but certainly much more livable with elegant furniture. There was a decent sized window on the opposite wall but obviously it could not be opened.

The golem would then reach down and remove the shackles from Eddie’s ankles before turning to leave the knight to get settled.

For the first time in the last month, he was alone once again. But at least it wasn’t a cell. And it seemed like he was free to roam, given how the door was left unlocked. That was good, he supposed. Definitely more freedom than he’d had before.

Eddie spent a bit of time exploring his new room, seeing where everything was and even looking out the window. It was a nice view, at the very least. “...I guess this is how it’ll be from now on...” he murmured, mostly talking to himself as he turned away from the window. Until the queen gave him his new duties, the knight figured that it would be okay to wander about the church.

It would be better to actually know his new home, at least more than the dungeon.

So, after double checking and making sure that he looked presentable, Eddie headed out of his room. Picking a random direction to walk in, he began to explore the church a bit more.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

At his words the woman couldn’t help but lightly chuckle at the irony.  They would have hope. She would be here soon.  Though unfortunately her child’s arrival might also mark the end.

The two gollums indeed would come later for the prisoners.  Eddie would once again have chains put around his ankles but this time none on his hands or around his neck.  Ayashee would be treated with more care as they were lead back out of the dungeons to the gardens.

They would go further this time, straight to the church.  As they entered the building the two would end up being separated.  One gollum would take Ayashee deeper into the church while the other ushered Eddie towards the other side of the grand building to once again find himself outside.  There was another smaller building hidden on the side of the church.

Eddie would be ushered inside to find that it was a bathhouse.  The gollum would stand guard outside while he cleaned himself up after so long in the dungeon.

He was actually quite glad that he wasn’t trussed up like he had been before. Though Eddie would still much rather have no chains at all, this was still better.

Now it was only a matter of the fact that they were being taken to the church. Ayashee to who knows where... And him to a bathhouse? It made sense. The knight had spent far too long in the dungeon, without a proper bath in sight. Even with the golem standing outside, most likely to make sure he didn’t run, Eddie had to admit...

This was a welcome change.

It would take a good bit before he was finished in the bath, wanting to be sure that he had full scrubbed away the weeks upon weeks of filth from his body. To be properly clean for the first time since his capture. Only then did he leave the bathhouse, ready for the golem to take him wherever else he needed to be.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

Ayashee gave the knight a sad smile as she sat back down “Well, I suppose it’s better than her throwing another temper tantrum.”  She looked back at Eddie “What do you think she’ll have you do?”

She remembered when she had tried to trick the queen.  Had pretended to be on her side at first and had given the queen an incorrect prediction which had caused a fairly significant amount of that bitch’s force to almost be wiped out.  That’s why the pale queen hated her so.  That’s why she only had interest in her child.

She wondered what horrible things Eddie would have to do to gain the queen’s trust.

“I’m sorry I’ve asked so much of you.” she spoke after a few moments.

“Probably something similar to what my king had me do.” He moved to sit down beside her, the possibilities of what his future duties might be weighing on his mind. He could only hope that it was nothing too horrifying. “I would look into their minds to see if they were truly trustworthy, or if they were seeking to exploit the king and his country.”

He would also be a scout or a spy, and the queen herself had experienced. But, so long as she didn’t know the full extent of his powers, he shouldn’t worry too much... Right?

“...It’s alright, Ayashee. You may have asked a lot from me, but I have everything to give. If it means there’s even a small glimmer of hope, I’m sure it will all have been worth it.”

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

“Yes, you will.  I’ll start request the priests to start assigning you duties once you’ve a chance to settle in your new accommodations.” the queen explained before waving a hand at the boy “For now you may go back to your cell and tell Oracle the good news.”

As Eddie got to his feet the gollums that still held his chains lead the knight back down into the dungeon.

Ayashee stood when the door was opened.  A silent question of what happened written across her face as she watched the gollums remove the boy’s restraints and close the cell door once more.

They would be back for both of them before the day was over.

Good news. Of course. It was bloody fantastic that they were still prisoners, except now he had duties to worry about for a queen that he despised.

Good news indeed.

There was a soft grumbling from the knight once the golems had left, listening to hear for when their heavy footsteps finally faded away. “...Well, she certainly seemed pleased,” Eddie finally spoke, rubbing at his wrists and neck. The restraints left him a little sore... “She says that we’re both to be moved to the church to stay. Later, I’m assuming.”

He let out a soft sigh, shrugging slightly. “Apparently she’s letting you come with me as a ‘show of good faith’, and because you’re so close to your due date.” There was a pause, a frown crossing the knight’s face. “Neither of us will be allowed to leave, though. It’s just going to be a prettier cage.”

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

The queen eyed Eddie for a moment before leaning back in her chair and taking another sip of her tea.  "Yes, you’re correct.  I can only be patient for so long after all.“

She smiled sweetly at the man "I’ll tell you what, seeing as that Ayashee is so close to her due date, and as a sign of good will considering your decision, you may both stay in the church.”  She gestured to the large building behind her “I’ll be keeping a close eye on you of course.  You won’t be allowed to leave, at least until I know I can trust you.”

They were still going to be treated as prisoners.  Though Eddie would have a bit more freedoms than Ayashee would be granted.  The only thing that was really changing was the cell.

Eddie supposed that he shouldn’t be surprised. He had spent so long defying the queen, why should she trust him so easily? There’s a good reason why people like her would rise so far above everyone else. Blindly trusting people who had previously hated you wasn’t one of the ways to do it.

“Of course.” At the very least, he was on the right path to gaining her trust. Of working with her, for the soul purpose of keeping Ayashee’s daughter safe.

At the very least, he wasn’t having to worry about being separated from her just yet. But only ‘just yet’. The moment Aisha was born...

He did his best not to let the thought show on his face, instead giving the queen a polite smile. “I guess this means I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied.” If he wanted her to trust him, especially if he wanted to be able to help care for little Aisha, he really was going to have his work cut out for him.

[superhumanxxcatastrophe-blog]

unknown-rps‌:

As Eddie sat down the golems would move to stand on either side of the knight. A servant then entered the small clearing and placed two cups of tea on the table between the two parties.

Gaki was silent for a few moments, waiving the servant off and taking a sip of the tea before finally speaking.  “Yes, it is rather dreary down there, isn’t it?” she spoke before giving the boy a knowing smirk and resting her chin upon her hand “But I find it very hard to believe that that’s the only reason you’ve decided to take up my offer.”

Yes, she was positive that he was doing this in a vain attempt to save Ayashee, or at the very least, save her child from the queen’s clutches.

“I won’t complain however.  Your reasons for accepting are your own, but know that it won’t “save” anyone.  My plans for the child will not be swayed and as soon as the infant is old enough Ayashee will be executed for treason.  It’s as simple as that and there will be no changing it.  I’m sure she’s already told you she doesn’t see herself in her child’s future, yes?”

His eyes narrowed for a moment, clearly disliking what she was saying. Both because she seemed so sure that she knew the truth, (which she did, but he wasn’t going to admit it,) and that Ayashee was already slated for execution. The queen had all of her ducks in a row, and he hated it.

But that was why he had agreed to join her. So he could at least say that he tried.

“Whether she has or has not, it doesn’t change the fact that I have changed my mind,” the knight countered, with ease that could easily been seen as natural. “Because it would only be a matter of time before that became my fate as well, correct? I still hate you for what you have done to my country, but I much prefer to be alive.”