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Falling.
It was a sensation Sasha really hadn’t missed. Falling felt like losing control, and despite everything it remained what she feared most. She couldn’t help but think back to Toad Tower, where she watched Anne let go of her hand. Or rather, when she let go of Anne’s. There were times where she still needed to remind herself of that.
Sasha closed her eyes, not wanting to watch her fate sprawling beneath her. There was no Grime to save her this time. Last she saw, he had been knocked out by the overwhelming frog-droid forces. Everyone else was busy fighting a war Sasha had a partial hand in starting. Not one of them, except Grime, would’ve considered her worth saving anyway. Seeing no other possible outcome she steeled herself against the wind, arms outstretched like heron’s wings, and embraced the fall.
A streak of blue exploded behind her eyelids, and suddenly Sasha wasn’t falling anymore. A pair of familiar arms secured themselves around her, and she was drawn towards a warm body awash with the scents of cedar and pine. Despite the budding realization that she wasn’t going to die today, her entire body tensed in apprehension. The last time she was this close to the person who held her, Sasha had a sword leveled against her throat.
“I’ve got you Sasha. I’m not letting go.” At the sound of her voice Sasha relaxed, her arms wrapping around Anne’s neck and squeezing tight. She looked good in a halo, Sasha realized, a crescent of blue light surrounding her angelic features. Had Anne always been this pretty? She couldn’t remember.
“I’m sorry.” It was barely a whisper against the wind, and she hadn’t really meant to say it, but Anne had already heard her. She could tell by the way Anne drew her closer to her chest. Sasha buried her nose into the other girl’s neck, her pride thoroughly beaten.
The pair landed safely on the ground a moment later, Anne’s powers cushioning their fall. Her grip loosened as Sasha’s held firm around her neck. She was still dizzy from the fall and uncertain of her own footing, but mostly she just didn’t want Anne to leave yet.
“I need to go,” Anne whispered, gentle and unexpected, into her hair. Sasha shivered as warm breath tickled her ear. She swayed on her feet, fingers entangling in curly blue hair flowing like water towards the sky. They didn’t have time for this; Anne had a war to win. They may never have time for this again. Finally, slowly, Sasha detached herself from her savior, her support, her beautiful best friend.
“Be safe.” Sasha was still staring in awe at Anne’s piercing blue eyes when she nodded, her hand brushing against Sasha’s cheek, the one with the scar. Her thumb traced it briefly, timidly, and she leaned unconsciously into Anne’s touch. Then she was gone in another flash of blue, leaving Sasha alone in the floating courtyard, just out of harm’s way.
Sasha’s eyes wandered in the direction of the throne room where Anne had disappeared. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts she thought she had stomped out a long time ago. Unfortunately, brute force did not seem to answer all of her problems in kind, and her fixation on Anne’s newfound confidence was a feature she could no longer deny.
Deciding she had more important matters to settle, Sasha drew her sword, her sights set on the parapet she had just been thrown from. She resolved to slice and dice her way through the castle from bottom to top if she had to. The patron of strength would cut down anything that dared come between her and her destination.
She’d be damned if she let that bastard take anyone else she loved away from her.