Fantasystuck, your choice of ship?
“So I heard the Prophecy was usurped by a surprise contender,” Dreadlord Karkat Vantas said with a slight smile as he sat down for breakfast with his Empress and moirail, Feferi Peixes, Her Imperial Consideration.
“Whale, you should know,” Feferi said teasingly. “You’re the one who kelped!” She scooped scooped a couple of fried eggs onto her rice, then ladled sauce over it. “But water we going to do about the reel Chosen One?”
Karkat snorted. A month after Peixes managed to defeat Her Imperial Condescension in armed combat (cheating only a little bit, thanks to her Dreadlord and their friends), the Chosen One of Prophecy and his Companions had turned up with an army and promptly attempted to defeat the his Empress. The army and the Chosen One had been defeated, with the army being marched back to the border. The Chosen One and his friends were down in the slightly nicer section of the Imperial Prison.
“You’re the real Chosen One,” Karkat said firmly. “Skaia, Prospit and Derse can take their humanocentric prophecy wrap it around a boar spear and sit on it.” He took a flatbread, loaded it with sliced steak, eggs and sauce, folded it, then bit into it.
“The Chosen One was supposed to destroy the empire,” Feferi protested with a laugh. “I shoaldn’t be letting you call me that.”
“Hah,” Karkat said after chewing and swallowing. “Their Chosen One would have done that, not that I would have blamed them. You’ll remake it afterward. You’re the only one I’d trust to do that.”
Feferi’s ears fluttered in embarrassment, and she looked away. “But water we going to do with him?“ she repeated.
“Well, Equis’ all for marching them in chains through the streets,” Karkat said. “That’s always a classic.”
“You did that coming into the city,” Feferi said.
“Can’t go wrong with more marching,” Karkat said. “Followed by a noose and gibbet, as suggested by Terezi. That’s probably the safest bet. Send their bodies back to their kingdoms and offer peace treaties and trade agreements.”
Feferi frowns. “I’d rather not krill them,” she says. “It’s not as if they knew I was any different after all.” Karkat opened his mouth to speak, but closed it with a snap when she glared at him. “Yes I do know they wouldn’t have cared!”
“Then what, Empress?” Karkat asked.
“For now, bind their powers and take them in hand,” Feferi said. “I’ll send ambassadors to Prospit, Dersit and Skaia.”
“Ransom negotiation?” Karkat asked.
“Not yet,” Feferi said.