As Our Story Ends (A Lunar Chronicles Fanfiction)

Chapter Two: Winter

Winter wasn’t sure how capable she was of making a decision since half her kingdom still thought she was still crazy. Maybe she was, but she’d figure that out later. For now she had to focus on the trial.

Her first instinct was that death was better than torture, but the idea of her step mom dying was too much to bare. Even though she was horrible, she was still family. Maybe if she voted for torture, she could get Levana out later.

Cress spoke, “Winter’s a leader, but I’m not. Both these options seem horrible. I give up my vote. Winter, it’s your choice.”

“Wait… you’re leaving this up to me?” Winter asked Cress nervously. Cress nodded guiltily. “But why? She’s my stepmother, after all.”

“I just can’t follow through with either of these choices. Besides, you just said it: She’s your stepmother, you should decide what happens to her.”

Winter felt another crushing weight get added to her shoulders. What was she going to do? This decision really did come down to her, and if she made the wrong choice it would not only affect her life but millions of others. Not to mention the generations ahead of her. Could she choose something that could possibly put everyone she loved in danger?

All seven pairs of eyes looked at her, waiting for her decision. From Wolf’s calculating eyes to Cress’s sympathetic glance to Jacin’s look of anticipation yet grievance. Winter didn’t know if she could forgive what he did over the war just yet, but staring into those eyes made it hard for her not to. But she couldn’t let her only real family die.

“I choose torture,” Winter said, a horrible feeling of dread settling over her. But she knew that she had made the right decision. Besides, if anything got really bad, Winter could always use her influence over Luna to just put Levana in a regular prison.

The court cleared out and Winter and the rest of the jury made it out. Before Winter was out the door, she felt a note slipped into her pocket. When she was alone, Winter read it:

Next lesson in the ballroom. 18:00 sharp.

 ________________________________________________________

Winter carefully entered the ballroom, making sure to close the door behind her. She had made sure no one was following her, so nobody would interrupt. As she looked around, she had to admit the room was beautiful. The walls were surrounded by murals, some dating back to the second era. The curtains hung elegantly, and the whole room looked like it was made with the purpose of being beautiful.

A noise sounded behind her and Winter turned. Standing in front of her was Princess Selene. Selene was one of the two friends Winter had ever had before the war, though Selene hardly remembered her. She even preferred to go by her Earth given name, Cinder. Winter could never wrap her head around that, but decided she had more important things to worry about that how to address her fellow rebel.

She probably should be focusing on ignoring the blood crawling down the wall. Ever since Winter had started using her lunar gift, her visions had started to disappear, but they weren’t completely gone yet. She wondered when they would completely disappear--if ever. She pushed those thoughts aside as she watched Cinder move toward her.

“Good, you made it,” Cinder said.

“You're not mad at me are you?” Winter said with pleading eyes.

Cinder considered this, “I don’t think you made the right choice, but it was your decision. I have faith in you. Did you have any trouble getting here?”

Winter nodded, “It’s getting harder to sneak around the palace.”

“Don’t worry,” Cinder said, “Soon we’ll be in Luna, and you know all the secret places there, right?”

“Right. So, who do you want to start with?” Winter asked.

“Let’s start with you. I want you to concentrate on your happiest memory. What is it?”

Winter thought about it. “When the two of us and Jacin used to play together. We would always have the best of fun.”

Cinder gaped, “How do you remember that far back?”

“Well, it’s not like I was hidden in a basement for eight years.” At Cinder’s glare, Winter realized that may have come off as insensitive. She had had no one to talk to but Jacin for so long, that she sometimes forgot what was proper courtesy. She knew how to be queenly, not friendly. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Cinder said, though Winter could see a little hurt remained behind Selene’s eyes. “Let’s just get to work. Now focus on that moment, and use it to help you hide yourself. Pretend to be someone you’re not.”

She started thinking of them playing together as children, and before she even knew it, Cinder was cowering in fear. “What?” Winter asked her.

“I didn’t know you were going to do her,” Cinder answered her, still appalled. Winter instantly stopped thinking about them.  Cinder looked relieved.

“I don’t know,” Winter said. “I had some good times with Levana. Most think of her as scary, but I loved her.”

Cinder nodded cautiously. “Let’s just move on.”

Remember to check out Princess Selene04 cause she's cowriting this with me! You get chapter on Wednsdays and Sundays so look for them then! And make sure to be prepared for a new story coming soon! Have a great week Lunartics!