Orange and Navy (The Many Colours of Life and Death AU)

Chapter Seventeen

When the Western Roman Empire had learned that her father had died, she wasn't too sad. Mainly because she hardly knew he was alive in the first place. Her brother had broken the news to her.

She didn't cry. Maybe she was even glad. He got what was coming for him. He was ambitious, and selfish. And he became the very thing he hated. A murderer. And he loved it—or so she was told.

She tried her best to fake being sad for the Byzantine Empire. But he told her not to be, saying that ROE would be back.

That wasn't good. At least for the countries who fought so hard to drag him back to his grave.

And thirteen years later, he was back. In the first battle, she was woken up by her brother, who told her he had been revived somehow.

"What?! That's impossible!" she had cried.

"What can I say, except I told you so," BZE grinned, a rather rare sight.

"Why are there screams coming from the village?"

"He's back," he shrugged, and somehow, that explained enough. "Join me by his side. This time, we will be the winners."

"I-I can't. You know I'm not a killer," she'd whispered.

He narrowed his eyes, before closing them. "I know," he sighed. "I just hope you change your mind. He won't be happy." With that, he left with his spear in hand, and walked towards the village.

WRE later learned that there were two casualties. She felt awful. Why had she been born into a murderous family? Well, the Holy Roman Empire was fine, but he was dead, so it got him nowhere. Besides, BZE wasn't that murderous. She hoped. He just wanted to be on the right side. And WRE respected that.

After the battle, WRE contacted BZE to see how everything was going. It was not going well.

He's really mad. Really really mad. Please rethink your decision.

I told you before, I can't kill countries!

I haven't killed anyone. We're simply making them easier targets so that Dad can take their powers!

That's not helping, WRE sighed in her mind. Hello? She asked after he didn't answer for quite some time.

I told him you were a spy. He's calmed down and wants information. You're welcome, he finally said.

What?! How am I meant to be a fake spy? I'm terrible at lying! No thank you.

Come on, you'll love it! He wants to talk to you. Good luck, haha. BZE chuckled into her head. Ugh, she hated him.

Hey, dad, she said.

So, you want to be a spy? ROE responded, his voice loud in her mind. She winced.

Yes. BZE already ruined his chance, but they still trust me, she said. Might as well roll with it.

Good thinking! Anything so far?

Not much, you probably already know most of it. We just had a meeting about what happened. There are lots of pretty cool powers, WRE said. That couldn't be too hurtful to reveal, could it?

Perfect. Anything else?

No. I'll contact you if anything interesting comes up.

How about you contact us every hour? We can't talk to you whenever we want, so if we need something, at least we only have to wait an hour at most, ROE suggested. His daughter shuddered. Every hour? That was tedious. And she'd already had enough of him.