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Some might say that a sidekick's job was to do whatever their boss told them to do however Nimona, rather predictably, disagreed. A sidekick should do whatever is best for their boss and their evil plans. For example; making complicated situations (that are actually simple) simple again.
That was why there weren't any messages on Ballister's computer, a note on the murder saying she'd be back in an hour and also why she was at The Antlered Serpent in his place.
It wasn't hard to spot Ambrosius. All she had to do was look for an angst riddled, cloaked figure moping in the darkest corner this side of the wall. Honestly if it weren't for the bizarre love language Nimona would've said they were perfect for each other.
Disguised as Ballister and determined to cause chaos, Nimona slid into the booth to begin her confrontation.
"You have thirty seconds"
"Thirty seconds? Bal-"
"Twenty eight"
"Ok, ok" Ambrosius said quickly, holding his hands up desperate not to waste any more precious time "I believe you"
That threw Nimona, who was honestly waiting for guards to charge down the doors the second she'd arrived.
"You what?"
"I believe you're innocent, I don't know how I could've believed anything else" He reached over and took the metal hand in his own.
Nimona wasn't sure how Ballister would react to this. She'd never hesitated to touch his arm and Bal had never stopped her, but surely he would respond differently when that touch came from the man responsible. But her curiosity stopped her from pulling away.
"You were forced into this" Ambrosius said, his voice full of sympathy and sorrow "Manipulated by that monster"
Nimona couldn't stop Ballister's face from falling "Monster?"
"Bal, it's not just any monster"
"It..." Nimona mumbled as Ambrosius reached under the table. Normally pronouns and similar nonsense meant nothing to her but for some reason, that cut deep.
Totally unaware of the inner turmoil opposite him, Ambrosius rolled out a tattered old scroll.
"It's not just any monster, it's Gloreth's"
Nimona could only stare at the picture. At the hulking black mass they used to overshadow how she'd only been a little girl. A little who was scared and alone. A little girl who'd only ever wanted a friend.
She looked up at Ambrosius. He was rambling on about how this being was pure evil, how it was trying to destroy the kingdom and how it was using him to do so. Nimona couldn't believe this. She'd thought Ballister had been brainwashed but this guy never had one to wash to begin with.
"You're wrong"
Ambrosius froze "I'm wrong? About what?"
"About Nimona, about the Institute, about practically everything! How is it possible to be so brainwashed that even when evidence is right in front of you to accept the first thing someone tells you that means you can keep living in this little bubble!"
"I'm brainwashed?!" Ambrosius gasped incredulously "You're being manipulated by a monster. I only want what's best for you"
"What's best for me?!" This was it, Nimona's perfect opportunity to strike "Is leading the manhunt for me what's best for me?" She ripped the metal hand away and slammed it onto the drawing "Is this what's best for me?!"
And there it was. Ambrosius slumped like a puppet whose strings had been cut. He was devastated, exactly what she wanted. Now all she had to do was cut the jugular.
She stood up, made sure their eyes were locked and delivered her final blow.
"We're done"
Instantly Ambrosius shot up but Nimona was already on the way out, smiling to herself. But even when she left The Antlered Serpent Golden Boy was hot on her heels.
"Bal wait please!"
Nimona wasn't going to stop. If she found an alley or some sharp corner she could easily shift and slip away into the night, all she had to do was put some distance between them. After all, is he knew who he'd actually been talking to then everything would be ten times worse than they had been when she'd left the lair with Ballister sleeping on the sofa.
"Bal don't go, I'm begging you!"
Unfortunately the bastard was persistent. Nimona just kept moving. A snarky remark was on the tip of her tongue but responding would only prolong this. In all honestly she wanted to turn around and make Ambrosius pay for what he'd done to Ballister. She wanted to teach him how much it hurt to lose an arm, then make him experience that again and again!
But that wasn't what Bal wanted.
"Bal please!"
Nimona suddenly found herself spun around and being held in place by her shoulders.
"Stop, just..." Ambrosius dropped his head "Listen. Please listen to me"
Nimona was going to shout at him until she saw the tears that filled Ambrosius' eyes.
"Why should I?" She settled on instead.
"...you shouldn't. I don't have any right to ask anything of you but...it can't end. Not like this. I love you"
"Do you?"
That hurt Ambrosius in ways he didn't think were possible.
"Of course I do-"
"How can you say that?" Nimona asked, lifting up the metal arm so it was in between them "Look at what you did to me. Look at what you're still doing to me"
Ambrosius sobbed "I want to fix this. I-I'll do anything. I'll always love you"
Nimona shook her head "You never loved me"
"That's not true!"
"Yes it is! What was I to you? A bed warmer?"
"No-!"
"Something to keep you entertained"
"Never-"
"You were always waiting for some noble to come along so you could toss me aside"
"I would never-"
"You could never truly love a commoner"
"That's not true-"
"You could never love me"
"BAL STOP!"
Ambrosius grabbed the metal hand and dropped to his knees. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small white box. He opened it and revealed the beautiful gold ring inside engraved with the same red patterns that were on Ballister's sword. Tears flowed down his face like a river but that didn't stop Ambrosius.
"Do you know what this means? I wanted to give this to you after the ceremony. I wanted to ask for your hand before we even started dating. Bal, I still want that"
"I..."
"We can run away together. Go over the wall. Bal, I'd do anything to be with you. Please Bal-" He choked on the tears and pressed a kiss to the metal hand "You don't owe me forgiveness, but please don't end this. You're the greatest person I could ever wish for"
In all of her thousand years Nimona had never seen anything like this. Here was the man she'd intended to hurt, to destroy, utterly broken and crying at her feet and it felt...horrible. She realised that there were two sides to both Ambrosius and Ballister. The side the Institute had created and the real them. They really loved each other, it was society and expectations that were getting in the way. Had they been born equals, none of this would be happening. Heck, they probably would be married.
"I think the one Boss picked is nicer" Nimona admitted in her own voice.
She shifted back to her girl form, causing Ambrosius to scurry back in shock. On instinct he went to grab his sword but his shock and emotional whiplash caused him to fumble, however Nimona didn't use those extra seconds to flee.
"I can't believe you actually care about him" Nimona sighed, sitting down on the curb.
Ambrosius froze. These weren't the actions of a monster, but of a thoughtful and defeated person realising they were in the wrong. His training told him that all of it was a trap, tahat the second he let his guard down she would strike him down. Yet, he doubted that. Something about the way she said it proved she was genuine.
He took his hand away from his sword and sat down next to her.
"Of course I do...Is that why you did all this? Why you tried to break us up?"
Nimona huffed "In my defence you did cut off his arm and are leading the charge against him. Figured it would be best if he wasn't still in love with you"
When she looked at Ambrosius she saw how this very soul was filled with guilt.
"He still loves me? I don't deserve him. I'll never forgive myself for that. Gloreth, Bal will never forgive me"
"Nah, you're fine. If you apologised he'd just say there's nothing to forgive"
"But there's so much to apologise for!" Ambrosius cried, turning to Nimona holding his right arm "Arm-chopping is not a love language!"
There's no way we have that much in common, Nimona thought.
After his outburst, Ambrosius fell back into himself. The weight of the kingdom threw itself onto his shoulders and he was too exhausted to cry.
"I just wish everything could go back to the way it was" He confessed.
"It can't" Nimona gently explained "Change is inevitable and there's no reversing it when it happens, trust me on that" Ambrosius looked crestfallen but Nimona placed a hand on his shoulder and moved closer to him. Ambrosius didn't pull away "But that doesn't mean everything has to change" Ambrosius sad gaze met her sympathetic one "Go to him, believe him, that's all he wants"
Ambrosius swallowed a lump in his throat "I don't know where he is"
Nimona held her right hand out "I do"
It took a moment for Ambrosius to get over the shock "Why are you doing this? You clearly like me"
"I don't" Nimona casually admitted "But I like Bal"
Ambrosius smiled and took her hand "So do I"