The Things We Do

Chapter XI: Tage

     It was a bit past noon now and Tage's mother had not come back to the prison yet. He was getting worried, so he went to see what was happening. But when he entered, he saw no prisoners. Only a dead Queen sprawled out on the floor, covered in her own blood. Tage dropped to his knees in grief, pulling his mother's dead body onto his lap. She had been impaled with a sword, and the blood loss was too great. As he lay on the ground, holding his mother's body, he heard the door open behind him. Turning around, he saw a group of some familiar faces, but two new ones.

His father saw the body, and fell to the ground as Tage did.
His sister hugged a tall man, who tried to comfort her.
The man looked familiar, and Tage soon realized that it was Perdido.
Two women stood behind them. The elf was shocked, the human looked relieved.

    "She was sprawled out on the floor." Tage explained, handing her to her husband. He stood with her in his arms, and walked out of the jail. As he stepped back out on the path, he spoke. "We must alert the citizens," he said looking down at her face. They all walked behind him, and once they got into the town wails cried out. They buried her, then the small group went to what was now only True Lover's home.
    Sitting around the table, no one dared to sit in her chair. "Why did you let her go in alone?" Tage's father cried out. "Why did you leave?" Tage cried back. "I was getting her some help. She hadn't been alright since Scheven used her real name. Which, Tage, you should know now. Her name was Anastasia. She killed Arlie, Lost Queen, who with the help of Xayah, Lost Lover, we brought back to try and help her. I, Beau, only wanted the best for her." he cupped his face in his hands and began to cry.
     The human woman, who Tage now knew was Lost Queen, stood as she spoke. "Fear not. Xayah, can you not bring her back too?" The elf woman shook her head. "I need the thing that killed her and some of her blood. We have the blood, but not the weapon." Arlie shook her head. "I didn't get my revenge. Who exactly was in there that could have done it?" she asked as she sat back down. "Soleil, Luna, Soren and Scheven." Tage answered as Arlie got more confused. "Why was Scheven in there? And who's Soren?" she asked as they all realized she needed to be filled in.
   After being filed in on the major history points of the last thirty years, Arlie spoke. "They likely went back to Mirirejar. We must leave, I will not rest until I kill them. If I don't get to kill Anastasia, no one else should be able to and keep their life." They all sat stunned at Arlie's words.
     "You were going to kill her?" Aurora asked. "What else did you think I was going to do? Forgive and forget? That's not like me." Xayah shook her head. "But that is like you, Arlie. I know it is." she pleaded.
     "Not anymore Xayah. She killed me! She separated us. Now that I can't get revenge on her, I'll get revenge on those who did. Luna and Soleil were already traitors, we all knew there was something up with Scheven, and I don't know this Soren guy, but if he was raised by those traitors then he can't be good. Your exact motives may not align with mine, but know I have nothing against the rest of you. Tage, Aurora, you may have been born to a tyrant mother but that was not your choice. Beau, when she killed me I knew you were in too deep. You probably pulled a 'she did what she had to do' and I respect that. It might've been dangerous for you to leave her then. I'm sure you raised these kids to be better than her. I know I didn't always treat you the best, but I'd like to make up for that. Perdido, while I don't know who you are, you helped me come back. And if you are anything like your mother I'm glad you'll be nobility. And Xayah, I know you'll support me again, right?" she asked as she finished her speech.
     "Always." she responded as Arlie put her arm around her. "How can we trust you now? You confirmed you were going to murder her, now you expect us to help you?" Beau yelled at her as he stood. Arlie jumped off the couch and looked up into his eyes as she yelled. "You can trust me, Beau. I have nothing against you or anyone else here, like I said. Let me help and I'll be satisfied. Then you'll never see me again. We all want those four dead, right? Another fighter on your side never hurts. Use me, then I'll leave you and your family alone." Reluctantly, Beau nodded as he spoke. "We prepare today, then leave tomorrow."