The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

Hold Me Close

Setting: Post-Finale
Inspiration: (JulianxScarlett) where if one is hurt, the other squares up. (prompt)

Disclaimer: this gets a little sad | if you're wondering why there's a lot of descriptive words, I'm practicing my imagery

   Scarlett should have known everything wouldn't be as easy as just killing The Fallen Star. The moon was beginning to poke out from behind gray clouds, and the forest floor felt cold against her feet. She had ditched her silver heels long ago seeing as they only seemed to slow her down by sinking into the damp grass.

   The letter she had received earlier that day burned in the convenient pocket of her dress, reminding her the Fates - or at least, some of them - were not done with The Fallen Star's daughter. Some were glad she had helped her sister kill him, others were furious.

   Silver puffs blew from her mouth as she breathed shallowly from the frostbiting air surrounding her. It nipped at her arms, cheeks and lungs as she waited by herself in the middle of the woods. The letter had been quite specific that if she didn't want her family hurt, she would come by herself. Not only did she have a husband and a little sister, but she had a son and a niece waiting for her back at the palace.

  "Thank you for meeting us." The Undead Queen seemed to appear from nowhere, the fog parting in her wake. Her Handmaidens stood behind her, their heads all cocked to the same side: inspecting her.

   "We would like to discuss your late father, The Fallen Star," The Murdered King spoke from behind her, causing Scarlett to turn sharply.

   The trees bristled in the wind, leaves rustling on the ground as a gust of it blew harshly. Scarlett wished she had worn something a little heavier, cursing her bare arms as goosebumps began to poke through; whether from the cold or the Fates, Scarlett didn't know.

   "We're sure you understand the situation at hand?" Jester Mad tilted his head with a wild grin painted on his mask, chilling Scarlett to her very core.

   She felt trapped; imprisoned; rolling around the inside of a crystal ball.

   She hadn't done so in a long time, but she let her magic reach out so she could read the Fates' emotions. It took a little work seeing as these were not her full powers, only a weakened version of them, and how she hadn't bothered to use her magic often.

   Green envy swirled around The Undead Queen along with orange excitement and black revenge. The Murdered King had sparks of brown hostility and again, black revenge. Jester Mad held colours of wild purple, unnerving blue and again, black revenge.

   "You want to avenge my father," Scarlett tried to say evenly, more of a statement than a question.

   "We could have taken your sister seeing as she was the one who killed him, but what you have to offer is much sweeter than her blood," The Undead Queen cooed.

   Bile crept up her throat, and for a moment, she smelled the stench of her own blood creeping along with the bile.

   "Gavriel isn't here to punish us for what we do to you," Jester Mad giggled, taking small steps towards her.

   Scarlett felt as if she was sinking into the ground, the crystal ball shrinking around her with every step Jester Mad took. The sound of her rapid heartbeat echoed through her ears making it hard to hear.

   "And what is it you want to do to me?" Scarlett asked bravely, straightening her back and standing tall.

   Her mouth began to dry as she watched The Murdered King draw out a dagger from his waistband. The crystal ball tilted and she felt as if she were falling, slamming into the side with impeccable force.