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The fight was hellish in every sense of the word. Everyone there knew that. It was gruesome, with blood spilled everywhere. It was sticking to their shoes with every step, running through the cracks in the ground like rivers. There was rubble from a thrown pillar and the floor surrounding it was shattered. Dust rained down from the sky, making it difficult to see everyone around her. If Star didn’t know any better, she would have assumed that the structural damage would have been enough to make the ceiling collapse.
The room was revealed to be covered in sacks. That’s the only way she could reasonably describe the mess here. They were patterned to fill the walls of the room efficiently, there was almost no space to see the once pristine wall of the throne room. The sacks were blood red and had thick, gruesome veins covering them. They pulsed with a fast, steady rhythm. And there were far too many to count. So many must have lost their lives to this dangerous cause. It made Star feel sick to her stomach.
She knew that if any one of them were less than lucky, they would end up just like Jay did, with blood pouring down her leg and what seemed to look like acid eating away at her flesh. It was bumpy and just as red as the sack that consumed her was. Every step she took down the cliffside, she would wince. She was heavily limping, even with the support of both Gryffon and Gillion. None of them looked healthy in any way.
Chip was turned by the captain into a creature of death. He was pale and grey, with blackness filling his veins. He seemed shellshocked by it all, barely speaking when not spoken to directly. It seemed that he would pass out given something as small as a punch. Gillion had his fair share of gashes that were still bleeding.
Zamia was nursing her arm, which made Star stare with pity and regret. There was blood gently oozing from below her good elbow. Star assumed this was from the large Tortle throwing his shell and her love not being able to fully dodge out of the way. She had no magic left to expend. She tried anyways, which just further fatigued her with no real output. Zamia kissed her nose sweetly and said “thank you” anyways. They had no medical supplies, somehow. These pirates seemed to get by on magic alone, which was incredible, if not for it being so short-sighted. Magic can be used without having the chance of healing anyone. Bandages cannot.
Chip did say that he had no experience dressing wounds, but anything is better than nothing in her mind. Dressing a wound loosely and without water to clean it was better than leaving it to the grime of the island they lived on. But she let the pirates do as they did. No point to try and reason with them on something as trivial as how to administer medicine. Or maybe that was just Zamia’s mindset rubbing off on her.
Jay attempted to wrap her leg in the jean jacket that she kept wrapped around her waist. Star dissuaded her, saying the mud and rock and general filth in it would only irritate her blistering skin even more, maybe even infect the wound. She was still hesitant to not wrap it, that is until Zamia off-handedly mentioned a small piece of moss on the jacket. She threw the jacket into the distance in a flash. It wasn’t very far, and she sheepishly asked Chip to grab it for her right after, but she wrapped it back around her waist and not her wounds.
The trek was lengthy. They had to stop many times for Jay to catch her breath. Star could practically hear her teeth grinding together to stop her from screaming out in pain. Gillion attempted to pick her up, but accidentally grazed her calf in the process. In an instant, her eyes opened wide as a tear fell and she seethed. It looked like she couldn’t breathe until a soft and strained, “Shit,” left her mouth.
Gillion, taking more caution with her injury, lifted her. Star honestly couldn’t believe that he was still able to carry that much weight, considering the battle they all went through. Though, she would power through any pain for Zamia, so it made sense. She could easily tell just how close the captains were with each other.
Star wrapped her arm around the bicep of Zamia’s prosthetic metal arm. Zamia looked over with a gentle smile.
“Do you need something?” Zamia asked.
“Just your arm in mine.” Star flirted.
Zamia’s eyes flew open and looked toward the ground just up ahead. Star could practically feel the steam coming off in her flustered state. She had a gorgeous grin that Star missed so greatly.
“I shouldn’t have expected anything less from you,” Zamia said while giggling.
“I’ve missed precious Ami Time, of course I’m going to take even more now.”
Zamia’s smile flattened in seconds. She tried to correct it back to a smile, but it felt forced. “We will have plenty of time, there is no need to worry anymore.”
There was tension in the air surrounding them. Zamia continued holding Star’s hand but looked straight ahead down the path of the stairs.
The stairs were steep and continued for what could have been miles. But eventually they reached the bottom of the steps. They arrived back at the town they ventured through previously. With each step, Zamia’s gaze was fearfully flickering back and forth. It looked like she was trying to identify any and all signs of danger. Based on the lack of… really anything happening, Star assumed that they avoided whatever Zamia was watching out for.
The group came up to a corridor. It was full of what may have been moss or maybe mold, Star was not completely sure. However, she looked over to see Jay, still in Gillion’s arms, flipping off this corridor as they passed by. This made Zamia break from her paranoia and chuckle as Gillion attempted to reach for his sword. She wasn’t quite sure of the context, but hearing Zamia’s laugh made her smile.
Igneous was talking very candidly with Chip. It was nice to see. Star knew just how young Igneous was when the Sea turned. He had very little time to actually make friends his age, especially while training as a royal guard. They were talking about nothing in particular, past adventures from Chip and stories of the palace from Igneous. He was making the overly extravagant parties that the Emperor would hold seem much better than they were, but they hadn’t had a royal party in over ten years, so she forgives him. Only somewhat.
Once they finally passed through the city, it was almost nightfall.
They all made their way back to the hideout. The pirates all fell asleep the near instant they got inside. Only Gryffon stayed up for a meal.
Everyone was excited to see Star again. Many hugs were traded. They exchanged pleasantries before Star explained that they had all had a long day and were quite tired. She promised to be with them more the next morning when she felt less exhausted. Gryffon left the moment she said that. It almost seemed like he was looking for an excuse to go rest.
Zamia followed Star into their room. It was pretty barren. They had a small bed with two plain sheets. They had some stains that were impossible to remove, fully caked into the weave. The caves usually stayed a moderate temperature no matter how hot or cold it was outside, so they didn’t need any more than that. They didn’t have any pillows, but they would usually ball up one of the sheets to act as one if they needed it.
There were some random objects on the table in the back corner of the room. They were things that were found when venturing into the forest or that were just left in the town above where they stayed. Everything was taken in the off chance that something could be useful. Most items were not left behind, so everything that was forgotten was cherished by those that remain.
Star grabbed a well worn book from the table. It had a mahogany-colored cover with the title mostly rubbed away from use. It was quite long, with small text inside. Occasionally, there would be a drawing of assorted things, from shrubs to toads to light bulbs. Zamia was not paying too close attention to the actual text of the novel.
Zamia sat beside Star, who continued reading the lengthy novel with no interruption. Zamia’s gaze meandered over her whole body. Her armor was visibly brittle, with small pieces begging to fall to dust. Her warm brown skin reflected the moody lighting in the bunker beautifully. The cloak that delicately covered her shoulders was ripped much more than it was previously. Zamia assumed it to be from the battle with the pirates and when she had to face the Collector alone. Her focus on the novel was gorgeous, with how she could get so deeply entrenched in whatever she set her mind to. Her hair was shades of blue, yellow, and pink; it was opalescent like the cracks in Igneous’ skin. It was pulled out of her face with a simple, white, satin ribbon. The white had yellowed with use to a more cream tone than the stark white she was gifted so long ago.
Zamia outstretched her hand to Star’s shoulder. She began rubbing it with her thumb softly. She looked up from her book momentarily.
“May I braid your hair, darling?” Zamia asked.
“As long as you don’t call me ‘Darling Starling’, of course you can,” Star joked.
Zamia grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Zamia moved closer to Star and unwrapped the white ribbon from her hair. It puffed outwards slightly, though mostly retaining its shape.
She started massaging Star’s head lightly. Star let out a gentle sigh. She ran her nails on her scalp, moving from the center to the sides of her head. She went between the normal massage and scratching until the hair was less trained into the puff.
She then grabbed a small piece of her hair. She combed her fingers through the very ends of it to start detangling.
Zamia sees a wide-tooth comb with a few of the teeth broken appear in front of her face, startling her for a moment. “This may be of some assistance,” Star smiles.
Zamia takes the comb and runs it through the ends of her hair. She holds the section in place to keep the pulling to a minimum. She knows that Star keeps her hair up in a puff most of the time because her head was quite tender, but she needed it out of her eyes if anything were to happen. It also looked wonderful on her, but that was mostly a bonus.
She combed from the ends to the roots, lengthening each stroke. With every pass, Zamia needed Star to feel the love in her grasp. She needed Star to feel her care with her touch. She wished that Star could understand just how much she treasured her lover. She would make it so that Star would keep the care and love in her soul so she could never forget.
Zamia continued combing until the comb could easily glide through her hair. She finger-combed through her soft hair, despite really not needing it. She just loved when Star allowed her to play with her hair. She wanted to feel its softness. To revel in the intimacy of having control over a part of Star and knowing that she is fully okay with that happening.
If asked, she would allow Star to do the exact same. Though maybe ask her to not undo the braids themselves if she had just retouched them.
She put down the comb beside her on the bed, in case she needed it later. She took a small section of hair from the front left side of Star’s head. She took this piece and separated it into three smaller sections and began braiding. Left strand over middle strand, right strand over middle strand, while grabbing small sections of hair not already in the braid with each pass.
“This isn’t too tight, is it?” Zamia asked, not wanting to hurt her head.
“This is fine, Ami,” Star answered. She was still reading her book. Or maybe just never set it down once she started braiding.
“Good, good.” Zamia kept picking up small segments of hair as she continued the braid down her head. She kept going until it reached the bottom of her scalp. Once it reached there, she braided it until the end of her hair. She let the curls fasten the end of the braid, holding it together for the moment. It was almost silent, except for the occasional turning of a page.
Zamia began to do the same thing on the other side. She savored the feeling of this process. There was no need for her hair to look good. She would barely be able to see it, even if they did have a mirror that wasn’t shattered to bits. It was a closeness that filled her heart with light. She let the hair curl at the end to secure the braid on the right side.
The braids fell to just below Star’s shoulders. Usually, a style like this would hurt Star’s head, but Zamia has learned how to braid it loose enough to not cause her pain, but tight enough to stay in place.
Zamia removed a small gold cuff from one of her own braids. It was designed to have a flower engraved into it but has faded with time. She opened the cuff more and placed it in Star’s braid at the crown of her head. She closed it. It moved slightly, but not enough for it to fall out.
She unclasped a few more from her hair to place into Star’s braids. Two were fastened to the bottom of the braids to hold them a bit tighter, while the rest were interspersed throughout her hair.
“Alright,” Zamia said, “I finished with your braids.”
Star closed her book, placing a marker where she left off, and slid it to the end of the bed. She lifted her hand up to feel the braid. Her hand touched the cold metal and flinched at the hardness of it compared to the rest of her hair.
“What’s this?” Star asked, her hand still on the gold.
“It’s one of my cuffs. I wanted to put some in your hair.” Zamia explained.
Star turned and smiled at Zamia. “I’m sure it looks lovely. Thank you.”
Zamia sighed. This day felt like a dream and a nightmare and like they were living in an illusory trap. Like she would wake up at any moment. Or maybe die and return to the Astral plane.
“I am still in a bit of… disbelief one could say… that you are here.”
“I am safe, love, don’t worry.”
“You aren’t safe, no one is. But you are here now, which is what I care about.”
There was a pregnant pause before Star replied. “What happened? The woman who was eager to bless us with positivity despite it all. Where is she?”
Zamia looked away. “She disappeared when you were collected. I am starting to think that she will be gone forever.”
“I hope, for yourself and not for all of us, that she makes a return.”
Zamia’s breath faltered momentarily with her voice roughly leaving her mouth. “And if she doesn’t?” It was quick, as if the words would have been crushed under the hand of Aster if she wasn’t quick enough. A God she was happy to worship with her love, though right now, she wished to be strictly alone with her Star.
“I will love you just as I have this whole time.” Zamia’s breath caught in her throat as Star gazed into her wet eyes. There was so much pain behind them, she could barely begin to understand. The cell was torturous, but so must have been living with the lack of knowledge. The thought of Zamia being the one who was taken instead of her shattered her heart. Living it must have been so, so much worse.
“And you promise?” Zamia asked with tears falling. “Despite everything…”
Star cupped her face and rubbed away a tear with her thumb. “A promise is the least I can give to show you that.”
Zamia rested her head in Star’s soothing hand. Her hand held no familiar glow of Cure Wounds; no magic left her hand at all, in fact. But it was a salve for all of the fear that coursed through her. She closed her eyes.
Her breath was slightly choppy, but much calmer than before, despite the tears steadily falling.
As Zamia’s eyes closed in a restless peace, Star was filled with a deep, sinking feeling in her chest. She continued to stroke her cheek, with her eyes burning. She could feel the broken guilt radiating off of Zamia. Star felt the same built within her. For not being strong enough to escape the pirates, being unable to break out of the dungeon on her own, making her love worry with such intensity.
The guilt strangled her heart and lungs. She prayed with Aster’s hands that she could relieve all of Zamia’s guilt. It wasn’t her fault that the worst almost came to fruition. If anything, it was her own. Sadness, nostalgia, her waning trust in Aster, it all made her weaker than she was before the sea turned. Despite having ten years’ experience, it changed nothing. The fear was consuming. The sadness was consuming. The desperation was consuming. Her God would have been able to help more if she just prayed more, gave her full devotion. Yet she was here with Zamia in her hands, and it felt more religious than anything else she had ever experienced.
What Cleric is one to not feel the most devotion to their God? To feel devotion to mortal lives instead? Maybe the sea’s corrupting nature was finally reaching her more fully without the Hallow keeping her on the divine path.
She thought, “Let Aster bless us and keep us safe here. I know my actions have not been in your vision recently. But I still wish for your blessing despite this.”
Star felt a twinge of agreement in her mind and a sense of safety fill her bones. She moved her hands to the back of Zamia’s head and brought it to her chest. She rested her chin on top of Zamia’s head as watery eyes turned to fallen drops.
“Aster grants us safety,” Star murmured into Zamia’s ear. Star felt her nod and heard a weak sniffle. “I feel it within me. She wants us safe, Ami.”
Aster’s blessing fell into combat with the reality of the black sea and the pirates. She had battled Sea before. However, this was not Lunadeyis’ sea. This was water corrupted far beyond her reach. If she had control over this, she would have fixed it. Surely. Surely, she would have.
“I’m glad She wants us to be safe. It’s just. Hard to believe with everything that has happened,” Zamia quietly confided. She wrapped her arms around Star, burrowing her face to be even closer.
Star sighed. “I know it is hard. I wish it were easier. I wish She had the ability to fix this,” Star combed her fingers through Zamia’s braids, “but it’s too much, even for Her.”
Zamia heaved a deep breath, tears slowing to a stop. Her eyes and cheeks felt irritated, along with her sore throat holding the vestiges of tears. She moved laying her head on Star’s chest to sitting besides her. Zamia took Star’s hands in her own.
She looked in Star’s eyes and said, “I love you.”
Star looked back up with a similarly teary smile and said, “I love you too. More than you know.”
Zamia looked away, just for a moment, in thought. She looked back at Star with a determined look on her face. “Gillion mentioned something to me before you were rescued. About taking a new Paladin oath. One of devotion, not to the crown or a kingdom, but to people.”
Star nodded along.
“And him saying this brought to mind how these past years have changed me. And you asking about my optimism being replaced by realism. I want to ask something that may be unexpected, but it has been in my thoughts ever since he said that.” Zamia nervously rubbed her fingers across the top of Star’s hands.
Star looked somewhat concerned at Zamia saying this. “Is everything alright?”
Zamia laughed, “Yes. Everything is alright.” Her face returned to a slightly more serious demeanor. “I would like to devote myself to you. Both in magic, and in life.”
Star looked into Zamia’s eyes, and then to their interlocked hands, then back up. “Are you saying…” Star trailed off.
“Star, will you marry me.”
Star’s jaw dropped as tears filled her eyes. Her mind went entirely blank for a brief moment, in shock.
“Yes,” Star said, in a very watery voice. “Yes, yes, yes yes yes.” She giggled with joy overflowing from her heart.
Zamia closed her eyes as she gently grabbed Star’s chin to pull her in for a kiss. It was teary. It was sanguine. It was slow and sweet. Zamia could feel Star’s lip lightly trembling from her weeping. The only thing she could hear was her own heart racing and their quiet breaths.
Zamia moved her hand to the back of Star’s head to pull her even closer. Star grabbed Zamia’s shoulders in a warm embrace. The familiar scent of their bedroom brought back memories of every kiss they shared before this, as partners in this hellscape, attempting to survive the cruelty of the world. And now they kiss as fiancees, having stopped the force that separated them in the first place.
Zamia pulled back to catch a breath, unable to stop herself from grinning. She brought her thumb to Star’s face to wipe the tears away.
“This was a bit unplanned. I should have asked Alasse to make us rings so I could give you one before the ceremony.”
Star laughed, also unable to contain her smile. “That would have made me cry even harder, love. Today has already been an emotional day as is.” She swiped tears away from her waterline before they could fall.
“You are very correct in that. I haven’t cried in quite a while.”
“I know, you’ve needed it since well before I was gone.”
“To be fair to myself, I did get quite upset after you were taken.” Zamia snickered for a moment. “It was very strange having Igneous try to console me rather than you.”
“Igneous?” Star joked, “Him? I don’t think he has a stone in his body that would be comforting.”
“You would be surprised,” Zamia said, “He can be quite warm, even if his skin is rough.”
Star leaned into Zamia’s shoulder. It felt like home. “I am truly glad he was able to help you though. And I’m glad to be with you now.”
“I am as well,” Zamia sighed. “There was such a weight on my chest while you were gone. I didn’t realize how heavy it was until you were back in my arms.”
“Fear is heavy,” Star said with the context of life dripping on every word, entrenched in the experience of hardships in the Black Sea.
“I’m thankful you help me lift it.”
“And you help lift mine.”