hero ➳ h.s.

chapter three

Lionel rubbed Indigo's shoulder firmly. "Are you alright, love?" Indigo gazed up at him. Lionel- tall, blonde, incredibly handsome. Indigo had always been destined to marry him. And not in the romantic, school girl sense. She always had. The Empire now gave life plans to every child on it's eighteenth birthday; a sort of map for where you were supposed to land and take off and do everything in between. For Indigo, it had been simple: go to school, achieve high marks, play the dump, middle school, innocent child, and marry Lionel Maximillian. Her parents had been thrilled. Marrying well was something every girl hoped for when receiving their life plan, and Indigo had achieved that hope.

Indigo remembered her parents talking late at night, however. "She'll be brain washed," her mother had whispered violently through the darkness. "Brain washed into thinking it's right."

"What's right? The Empire? My dear, it's not right, but for her sake, we must pretend that it is."

Back then Indigo had never really understood it- never really gathered that there was a whole other universe- a whole other dimension to the Empire. But there was.

The Revolution.

They despised the Empire- hated it. They didn't listen to the life plan's, refused to follow instructions and disobeyed any laws they thought were wrong. They launched attacks on major Empire centers- such as Kernthaven in 2060.

That was when Indigo's mother had died.

Since the fatal attack over 20 years ago, Indigo's father kept to himself in the little clockmaking shop on the corner of Downey and Third. He didn't speak much to Indigo, and she liked to think it was because he was getting old. But she knew better.

He just wasn't the same after Indigo's mother's death.

So Lionel was Indigo's next option. Sweet, caring and charming, he was everything a woman could hope for in a best friend. Lionel's father- Richard- was the Emperor; ruling with a vice grip and guiding Lionel as his Co-Caesar by his side. Indigo knew that marrying Lionel meant becoming totally and completely loyal to the Empire, and that was something she just had to be okay with. But there had always been a sense of division between the two- because, even though Indigo and Lionel were pledged to be married, the eternal we're-best-friend's seemed to taint the idea of marriage. Lionel kissed Indigo; she never showed any physical or emotional affection for him. Because they were just friends, and their marriage was a necessity the Empire was willing to adhere to.

"I'm okay, just a little shaken up," Indigo responded softly.

Lionel continued to rattle on about this and that, about the state of affairs with the Senate, about his father, but Indigo didn't listen. She didn't listen while they were walking to the cab, she didn't listen in the cab, she didn't even listen when Lionel left her to go back to work. She simply sat- sat and stared out the window, and allowed only one tear to fall down her porcelain cheek.

Because, while Lionel was everything she had ever needed, Harry had been everything she had ever wanted.

And more.

--

"So he insisted on going his own way?" The father-in-law of the wide eyed girl asked in feigned interest. "Quite remarkable. You'd think the damage was sustaining and would prevent anyone from going home."

"That's what I thought," Indigo said, shrugging. "It's alright, I suppose. I wasn't hurt. Har-," Indigo coughed. "I mean, he had a friend with him who seemed willing to take him home, though."

Laura shifted and then patted her daughter-in-law's (or, at least, soon-to-be) knee. "It's okay, darling. As long as you're okay." She winked and then studied her husband and son. "How did that meeting go today? With the Senate?"

"Fine," Lionel mumbled through a portion of roast beef. "We've drafted a Code - Code 461 -  that might finally stop the Revolution from spreading further."

"Yes, might." Richard condescendingly corrected his son. "It's simple, really. A simple trap that will prevent anymore converts into that blasphemed group of lunatics."

"Richard," Laura scolded. "Watch your language."

Lionel and Indigo giggled; Richard smothered a laugh into his napkin, and Laura shook her head. All the while the chesnut-haired maiden with the charming smile and dimples had no idea how much Code 461 would change her life.

--

goodness sorry for the late update.

dedicated to @itsjustnathaliee because she's super sweet. :)

TO GET A DEDICATION: Choose your favorite line from the chapter and include it in your comment. :)