Chapter Text
“They truly had crowned him! They made him into a king!”
“Are they out of their minds?!”
“This is an outrage!”
Saparata stood there, staring at his own reflection in his axe. Shining steel, cold in touch, protected by a piece of cloth wrapped around the throat of it.
'They made him a king' ringed in his ears over and over again. Over and over.. a king?
It had to be a lie, who in their right mind would do such a thing?
He could feel his eyes suddenly dazing into something that was placed far, mind becoming blank. Everything around him suddenly started to feel less real and more like a fever dream, the world started to spin. Saparata blinked a few times, trying to steady his thinking back to life but the moment he felt a gulp in his throat, he fell to his knees.
Accidentally aiming the axe wrong he managed to cut his finger with the blade slightly, yet blood poured from it with an instant in horrible quantities. Crimson-red sticky and warm liquid poured across the cobblestone ground, seeping into the gaps between bricks as he had to steady himself on it with both his hands just to not collapse on the spot.
There is no way Fluixon was a king.
Had the boy really lost his mind completely and led his people into the snowy forest, abandoned and uninhabited by anyone?
Saparata could feel his breathing become shallow, lungs failing in doing their job. The world was crumbling not only beneath his feet but beneath the feet of people that followed Flux, people that could be called nothing other than his slaves–for they were unaware of their beliefs and the path they were treading. Path that was stained with the blood of innocent people.
“Sir Saparata, are you alright?” a voice of someone he had not known broke him out of his thoughts, the man had placed a careful hand on his shoulder, almost as if scared of hurting him.
Saps raised his head to look at the kind man, he was wearing heavy iron armour with lapis engravings etched into the surface, that covered his face entirely, making it even more difficult for him to even try and recognize him. “I- yes, I’m alri–”
“Leave him, the mediator needs time” A woman’s voice came from behind the unknown soldier. Quiet and composed, almost as elegant in sounding as if a violin being gently played, Saparata would recognize that voice anywhere. “I know well that he’s not the only one who realizes how big of a problem this is for our lands that they put Fluixon in power over a new made up nation.” That woman’s name was Cass.
“Over a nation that has the Infernus over their side.”
Saparata’s eyes lingered on her face as he squeezed his hand to stop even a little bit of the blood from flowing. Ish, who would have thought he had so little luck that he hit some blood vein accidently.
Finally being over kneeling hopelessly on the floor as this whole situation allowed him to calm his breathing once again, he rose from the ground and stood at the woman’s side. The boy glanced at her but Cass was already looking his way. Her eyes could speak so many words, it was unbelievable.
“Let me speak to them, you rest.” was what he read from her.
But Saparata couldn’t bear the thought of leaving everyone now– no, this was not the time for his weakness to take over. Not when an entire army stood right behind them. He can’t use Cass’s help, Ish, it’s not like the king was his past lover or something! Right…?
He shook his head slightly, feeling lots of words piling at the tip of his tongue. Swallowing the last bits of stress, Saparata stepped forward with shuffling steps, the man that asked for his well-being moved to the side.
He didn’t even have the chance to say anything but all the eyes of the soldiers accompanying them were glued already to his figure almost immediately. Calm down dude, you know what to do.
“As we all heard, Fluixon,” Saparata started his speech, tone sounding hesitant at first but slowly growing brave. “was declared as the new king of Luminara second bit of nation.”
“His crown belongs to the fallen Queen Jophiel, who had been coldly murdered by a woman from his organization. The Queen's name shall never be forgotten! She led a successful army that stands till this day with us.” He glanced towards a few soldiers that had on their shield the Tricolour herb, the men bowing their heads slightly upon being brought up.
“Fluixon is nothing more than a dictator, that treats everyone as his pawns. By pulling the strings, he can elevate someone to power and simultaneously break their neck in a split second. I do not believe his words, and neither should any of you. That will keep us all alive.”
A few shouts left the gathered group of men, their voices agreeing with him through anger.
“By betraying many people, he climbed his way up.” His heart sank there for a second before starting to beat with twice the intensity, breath hitched itself in his throat. “People that were close to him, more or less important. Someone like him, someone like Fluixon shall not rule over our home islands!” Saparata raised his bloodied hand and pointed it toward the surrounding lands.
“What is there more to say? We shall pull him to his grave, a king in violet gowns will fall low!”
And shouts and cheers erupted, men in arms yelling and holding their swords up in the air high for the angel in white. Everything was suddenly loud, beer pouring and overflowing from the soldiers’ cups. Saparata looked around, his mind fighting with itself to register that whatever was now happening–truly was real. That was when his gaze met Cass’s again and senses had been called back to him. She looked terrified, sad, angry.
For some reason his legs started to tremble so bad he almost lost his balance and the woman ran up to him just in time to catch him. Holding the boy firmly but not too tightly, she embraced him by his arms and slowly led the mediator away from everyone.
Ish, just now Saparata realized how dry his mouth and throat truly was, has he even swallowed the saliva once during his speech? How the fuck did he not stutter? Now all he felt were words entangling one over another despite not saying anything.
But as they slowly backed away, Saparata felt the corner of his eyes burning like hell and then warm streaks of salty tears ran down his cheeks. Cass glanced at him but it was already too late, the boy broke down in her arms, crying and bawling his heart out. He couldn’t even stop the tears, trying to swallow them, breathe, anything–but nothing helped. He hadn’t shed so many tears in ages.
“Oh Saps!” They both knelt, cold bricks meeting their skin despite layers of cloth separating them. She wiped his eyes with the sleeve of her dress, cupping his face gently.
“Ish, why am I crying? This– this is ridiculous…” the boy bawled, hiccuping mid words.
“It’s not, don’t be ashamed of this pain Saps” she said softly, forcing a tired smile upon her lips. “He was everything to you, it’s normal”
“No need to remind Cass, seriously.” The tone of his voice was weary and Saps could feel himself smiling pathetically for some reason as well.
She chuckled, wiping another set of tears that left his eyes. “Just– you can’t let it overwhelm you, people put their faith in us. You have to point the blade towards him.”
Saparata fell silent, biting the inside of his check before switching to his lower lip that twitched nervously, a smile that stayed on there for a few seconds died instantly. “I just… I wish this had never happened you know? Is it truly too much to ask for? For love, for being embraced by him?”
“Never.” Cass asserted, her brows frowning but not with anger, just the typical look of sadness and pityness. “It was never your fault Saps, just his pure idiocy.”