"How about all of them?"

The next thunderstrike hit right before the reinforcements gathered behind us, driving them back into the passage they'd appeared from. Their frightened, shocked yells echoed through the narrow space, almost dulled by the pounding of the rain on the rocks.

"Watch out!" The jedi yelled as the next lightning strike came dangerously close to us while I stood there, unfazed, knowing that this storm wouldn't harm us. Instead, I spent my time glaring back at Maul while an insidious smile slowly started pulling at the corners of my mouth. Judging by the way Obi Wan pulled me tighter against him and tried to shield me from the deadly lightning, he didn't realize what had arrived.

Or rather, who had arrived.

He was but a black streak that shot through the sky above, the sky roaring at his arrival. "Oh, he's got it coming now." I grinned broadly as my grip around my weapon tightened.

The next strike was aimed right at the entrance to the caves. The ceiling collapsed, burying the corpses that had gathered there and barring the entrance. The earthquake that had followed had the draugr tumbling on their legs, some falling to the ground and being buried there by the falling rocks. Maul darted away from the avalanche, Fenrir and some of the bodies with him. Already he'd lost half his army and the battle itself hadn't even started yet.

As if he realized what had happened he looked up at the clouded sky, waiting, searching. "He's trapped!" I yelled over the roar of the storm and untangled myself from Obi Wan's grasp. In the corner of my vision, I saw his incredulous expression watching it all unfurl, his arm shielding his face from the rain as it thundered down.

When a previously hidden figure shot over us to circle back, its face hidden by the shadows of the clouds and the thick rain, realization quickly hit him. He turned to watch him round back and fly to us, his figure almost too fast to follow, the lightning showing the grey of his feathers in flashes. The next few strikes hit the cliffs behind us and created another avalanche that blocked the way to us from the reinforcements.

It was the electric blue amidst stormy grey of his eyes that I recognized as he came near, the golden hair that peeked from under his winged helmet. His silver armour was tainted and dirty, like every Valerian's armour should be, while his head missed the covering of a crown and instead wore a decorated helmet that obscured the hard lines of his face. The royal blue of the Stormrage crest wove behind him, his cape fluttering in the storm. A warmth spread through my chest as my heart started pumping excitedly.

Aidan Stormrage, chosen king of Valeria, bringer of storms and my beloved brother. Gods, I'd missed him. By what little I could see through the slits of his helmet, I knew he was smiling too. Even though the rain soaked my armour and clothes a warmth spread through my entire form.

Taking in a deep breath, I steeled myself for the fight to come, body filling with adrenaline. With another I jumped into a slow pace that soon turned into a sprint, running underneath the Valerian's figure as he flew overhead, only a few feet above me. I could feel the electricity playing around him, the sparks igniting and playing over my skin. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Obi Wan eyeing it all with widened eyes and mouth hanging open.

"Well, come on, then!" I laughed. "Before he leaves us only scraps!" As I turned back around and heard the chuckling coming from above me, Maul was quickly getting into view. His double bladed lightsaber ignited and he motioned with his hand, commanding his surrounding troops to charge as well. They quickly fell into formation before him and ran towards us.

Water splashed from the puddles as we sprinted, drops sliding down our faces as they contorted into scowls. When we were near enough to make out each other's figures and the front lines already readied for impact, another dozen winged soldiers appeared from behind Maul's army, led by a single man draped in royal blue. His golden feathers spread widely as clouds rolled off them, barely fitting into the narrow passage, before he collided with the entire back and knocked them over to the ground.

It was a famous Valerian battle tactic that left the entire back unprotected from the onslaught, one Maul could've never prepared for. "Whoo!" I laughed as I watched his army collide to the ground, lifting my lightsaber and jumping into the air as the man above me quickly shifted his wings to fly up and avoid collision. He'd been a mere distraction, a simple target for Maul to focus on. He soon disappeared into the rumbling clouds he'd created.

I came down right on top of a draugr, the corpses Maul had reanimated with his power, and split him into two halves. With another sweep I decapitated another and then duck under the assault of the next. At the same time the Valerian battalion flew over, their wings barely scratching my back before I righted myself and picked off those that had been thrown over by them. It was a flurry of blows, darting and pushing, a dance I knew all too well. Decayed blood sprayed over my armour and my cape quickly turned a dark red, moist with both rain and gore.

Battle was a familiar song to me. I'd been trained in the art since the moment I could walk, and even more intensely when I became a princess of Valeria. I'd grown to love the dance, learned to walk its steps as quickly and efficiently as I could, only to realize that mending bodies was better than maiming them.

Luckily for me, these were dead already.

Soon there were multiple smoking bodies lying on the ground around me as I huffed and caught my breath, narrowed eyes scanning the battlefield for the one I was most interested in. Slaying the dead bodies wouldn't do much in the end, for I needed to kill the man that was reanimating them.

The entire area had erupted into chaos. More and more Valerian soldiers entered the battlefield, their golden and silver armor flashing in the moonlight, their wings filling the narrow space while thunder echoed in the distance. The area that had previously been grey and dark was now filled with numerous colours and vigorous shouts.

My brother had brought his own legion with him. Valeria's strongest and most cunning Valarjar, all here to fight with us. Battle hardened by more than 20 years of training, selected out of the finest warriors. Maul had no idea what he was up against.

At the back Fenrir fought against the might of 8 combined, his master standing right before him and battling his way away from the caves. With a skilful manoeuvre he'd managed to impale one of the Valarjar, the blood coating his already red arms. With one sweep he pulled his saber back and watched with empty eyes as the lifeless body fell to the ground before him.

Fenrir jumped around him, attacking anyone who dared to come near his new master. His growls and snarls over rumpled the sounds of the battle, his claws tearing through the armour of our soldiers as if they were made out of paper. Maul watched him work but still tightened his grip on his weapon, knowing he was far from safe. Our gazes met from paces away, his angry and frustrated scowl letting me know that the battle he'd thought was his, was now unmistakingly turning against him.

Footsteps and the buzzing of a lightsaber came closer until Obi Wan's panting body stopped right next to mine. "They're coming over the barricades behind us." He spoke quickly as he glanced behind him, watching the mandalorians use their jetpacks to fly over the blockade Aidan had created. Braving the sky, however, was not a great plan when you were fighting heavily trained winged warriors. They were picked off one by one with ease, the Valerian air formations too tight for them to penetrate.

"Never mind, they've taken care of it." Obi Wan chuckled and diverted his eyes back to the sith, following my gaze. He froze for but a second before he bend his knees slightly. "Together?" He huffed as he lifted his own lightsaber.

My mouth pulled into a smile as I glanced at him, savouring those ocean eyes as they shone with determination. Before, he would've send me back to safety and forced me to wait out the fight. Now, he didn't even hesitate to bring me into battle with him. My fingers threaded through his as my heart warmed. "Together."

His steps joined mine as we started another charge right through the battlefield. Even though we had more paces to go, every draugr that dared to near us was quickly incapacitated by either shots of electricity or the sword of another Valerian soldier. I glanced upwards, meeting Aidan's gaze as he hovered near us, and nodded towards the sith at the other end of the battlefield.

Judging by the stern set of his jaw, he'd understood the message. "Make way for your queen!" The king roared over the thunder he'd summoned, flying over us and shielding us from those who dared to attack from the sky.

The Valerians around us quickly cleared a path, pushing and pulling at the Draugr and dragging them out of our way while cheering us on. It was like we were untouchable, darting amidst blood and gore, shielded against the army the sith had summoned.

All there was were those crimson eyes that'd haunted me for months. The one that'd hunted the jedi next to me, the one that had put fear in his heart and kept him from giving it away to anyone without dreading the consequences. The one who gave him nightmares and made him regret the choices he'd made, made him so protective he'd only push those he loved away. Maul had been his worst nightmare for years, even though he'd fought far worse.

Maul had done enough.

As he came near both our gazes narrowed to slits, both our attention narrowed to him. The force in the jedi settled until it was pointed towards but a single target. "Duck!" Obi Wan yelled as we arrived, lifting his saber and making a single swipe for the sith's neck while I slid over the ground and aimed for his legs.

Mud coated my shins while he jumped out of the way, blocking Obi Wan's assault and dodging mine. I quickly turned over to my knees, pushed up from the ground and watched as they engaged in a fearsome battle. Their swords met like they were old acquaintances, their moves trained and fluid, flowing into each other. It quickly became a blur to the eyes.

They'd done this more than once. They seemed to know each other's moves before they even made them but still they couldn't break through each other's defences. It could've been an endless battle between foes.

But this time, they had me. I charged at Maul from the back, igniting my free hand with as much fire as I could muster through the poison's drag. By the crackle of the fire, he'd noticed my presence and was just in time to dart under Obi Wan's attack and ready himself for mine. He blocked my saber but wasn't able to shield himself from the fire that spurted from my fingers, making blisters appear on the skin of his chest almost immediately.

Maul growled in pain, lashing out with his elbow and planting it right underneath my ribs. Stumbling back, my free arm grasped around my middle as I forced in a few breaths, stars covering my vision.

"Lyanna!" Obi Wan yelled over the noise of battle, watching over Maul's shoulder as their dance continued. Soon his eyes turned back to his enemy, following his movements before he could be impaled. Twisting and turning, each strike was either blocked or dodged, no matter how hard he tried, no matter the fact that with each turn Maul's energy was depleting.

My eyes narrowed and soon I jumped right into the fight again, ignoring the pain. With the combined strength of us Maul didn't stand a chance to hold out long. Not without help from the seidr he'd obtained.

When another of Obi Wan's blows struck true and hit his leg, narrowly chopping it straight off, Maul let out a frustrated hiss and jumped back. He panted as we recovered, walking to each other's side and facing him together. Obi Wan gently laid his hand on my arm, squeezing softly and reassuringly.

"It seems I did underestimate you." Maul drawled as he stepped back with each inch we gained in his direction. "I should've killed you when I had the chance, doctor." He eyed the subtle flames that burned on my skin, the small strings of shadows that bound around my arm as his hand pressed against the burns on his side.

His eyes settled on Obi Wan. "You chose wisely this time, Kenobi. She's not as easy to break."

A spike of anger went through Obi Wan, one so strong I could feel it burning through our bond. He shifted into an attacking form, jumping right towards Maul in fury before I could even stop him. I glanced at him worriedly, falling into the distraction Maul had hoped to create. The moment my eyes met Obi's and my hand reached out towards him my vision went entirely dark. It looked like a curtain had dropped all around us, as if our eyes were being covered by thick clouds.

A potent fear rose within me. Shadows played all around, obscuring everything in sight as they danced, suppressing any other sound from reaching our ears. A growl rumbled through the air, making the hairs on my arms rise for I knew Fenrir would be prowling through the mists.

"Obi?" I yelled even though I knew it would be in vain. "Obi!" My hands reached for the place he was before but met with only the silky substance. Cursing under my breath I turned around in every direction but met with nothing but the same.

"This power, -" Maul's voice echoed through the darkness. "- feels... endless." He seemed to come from another direction entirely this time. "Why would you ever want to hide it, doctor?"

His voice reminded me of another, one more ancient and deep, one that had haunted my dreams for months.

No, concentrate.

I had only my memory to work with, the picture of where everyone was standing moments before. Conjuring it proved more difficult than I had hoped, for it was quickly replaced by another, one of a ruin cast in the light of dawn with a single molten crystal in the midst of it. One where a dark presence had slipped out of its cage, and his voice was now whispering out in the shadows, his monsters slaughtering an army at the gates. One that had ended with the body of a king on the ground and his blood covering my fingers.

Arthas had been predictable, his motives clear. While I knew Maul desired the death of Obi Wan above all else, I had no idea what other horrors he had in mind. With the Blackwing' power in his grasp he could do anything, conquer any planet if he saw fit. There was no doubt on my mind that Valeria would be the first on that list.

Before fear could settle in, I closed my eyes and breathed out deeply. Let everything settle. In, out. In. Out. I kept on repeating them until it were the only two words I could hear in my head.

The Draugr thrived in the dark. They didn't need sight to find their targets, all they needed was their blind fury and their hunger for blood. They could track the potent scent, hear the life rushing through our veins even through the curtain of shadows.

Quickly more and more valerian bodies met the cold surface as slashes appeared on their skin or decayed teeth bit into their necks. Blood sprayed, but their screams were lost in the nothingness that obscured them. As soon as their bodies hit the ground, their eyes turned a malicious red and their minds to chaos. Even the thunder was lost in the echoes of what once was. The darkness had swallowed everything that came near.

Concentrate, princess.

In, out.

Breathe.

The waves soothed down my skin. A gentle current, wrapping around my fingers, before flowing away and joining the wave. It was strangely calming, the silence, the absence of light. The only thing there was where those almost tangible shadows.

"The darkness belongs to you, little dragon." At the sound of his voice my eyes opened slowly. They adjusted to the dark around me until they could see through those curtains, to the almost luminescent crimson eyes staring back through them like a predator.

He stalked closer slowly, preventing any sound coming from his movements, not knowing that I could feel him moving through the shadows. I could feel them bending over his body, feel the waves he created in them, the current he changed. I could feel every creature submerged in them, feel their fear peaking or their power wavering. I could even feel the familiar force signature of the jedi, one now as focussed as I was, close enough to reach if I wanted to.

"So, take back what is yours."

My heart slowed its beating till it was but a gentle drum in my chest. The muscles lost their strain and instead gave into the gentle caress of the darkness. I waited till he was near, calmly breathing through my nose, while manipulating the tiny currents around us. Waited for Maul to hold the tip of his deactivated lightsaber against my chest, thinking I was blind in the darkness he'd created. When his thumb went for the button my hand found its way to his own torso, placed right on top of the skin where his heart beat wildly.

"This power doesn't belong to you." I whispered as he stilled beneath me. Maybe it was my voice that had lost any kindness, or maybe it was the way I took control of the darkness with but a wave of my fingers. The shadows around us quickly bend to my will and wrapped around his limbs. They circled over his skin, pulled his limbs to either side even as he struggled against them. His saber fell out of his hands and clattered to the ground.

"You think you know darkness, that you've mastered its ability to frighten and kill." My voice had dropped to an almost seductive hum as my fingers carefully glided over his exposed chest. Even as he writhed and protested, the cords binding him in place were unrelenting. "But as always, -" I placed my palm flat against him and stood on my toes so I could whisper against his ear. Beneath my fingers, I could feel the familiar darkness writhing underneath his skin. "- you're still but an apprentice, testing at its boundaries like a child."

My eyes flashed red as satisfaction blossomed within me at his vulnerable state. "But I know it. I've feared it, fought it, survived its grip and mastered it. And I'm going to take back what you stole."

The shadows pulled taut and formed tight cords that bound him. Maul was forced at least a few feet backwards, exposed in the air as the overabundant darkness swept away and revealed the passage and everyone previously contained in it. Surprised gasps erupted all around, swords slashing those that had almost taken a life. The entire passage filled with the first rays of sunshine, a warm colour shining down upon the wreckage.

Maul hung suspended by all fours, cast in the orange and red colours, vulnerable as I kept him there with a single arm outstretched. Even as he writhed and protested, those cords kept him there.

"Lyanna!" Obi Wan yelled in relief and ran up to my side, his eyes fighting to adjust to the light of dawn. His auburn hair was tousled and blood and dirt covered his limbs, more than before the curtain had dropped. Around him more than 12 bodies lay dead on the ground, their limbs smoking from the burn of his lightsaber.

He quickly noticed the sith bound by shadows, his eyes widening. He turned around to see the aftermath of the spell, only to spot the draugr now all turning their attention towards us, to those that were threatening their master. Even worse, the great wolf now had his eyes focused solely on us while blood dripped down his maw.

Obi Wan's hands wound tightly around his weapon as he nodded. "Whatever you're going to do, do it fast, princess."

The lifting of the corner of my lips was his only answer, for my entire concentration was needed to keep the sith in check. A swift motion at my side and the jedi had charged into battle, facing the remaining army and the wolf-god himself without fear. I lifted my chin proudly as I took in a deep breath and stared down the sith.

"By Odin's will, as one of his few remaining descendants and rightful heir to his power, I command you, -" The hand holding him in place turned, palm facing the sky, and showed the single flickering white orb, the last remaining piece of the Aether. The one piece that had formed its base, which had given it its power to give and take. A conduit of the force, as Odin himself was. Its white flames flashed and shot to his exposed flesh. "- return what you stole!"

Maul's body arched as the power was being ripped away from him and a bloodcurdling cry left his lips as the white wrapped around his torso and pulled at his centre. The shadows didn't put up as much as a fight as they did with me, flowing from his skin and into the white orb fluidly. From there they travelled over my skin, curled around my arm and then found their way through into my chest.

I could feel them pouring into me, feel it rejuvenating the aching feeling they had left when they were stolen. The darkness, it was as much a part of me as those flames were, and finally I had come to terms with it. Closing my eyes and savouring the feeling I almost didn't hear Maul's anguished cries or the sound of the wolf trying and failing to devour the jedi.

It took but a few seconds to drain him of the darkness. I could feel the force still left in him, the power he inherited, but knew that when I took that too I would have to cross a boundary I wasn't sure I should.

"Lyanna, watch out!" Right when the last drop of power had disappeared into my skin and Maul's body fell limp to the ground, the warning rung through the narrow space of the passage. I turned in time to watch the wolf pouncing towards me, his eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.

Eyes flashed red and a silent command was given. Claws scraped over the surface and the ground overturned, a giant lean body coming to an abrupt stop. The nose that was covered in blood barely nudged my figure as he let out a deep breath that wove through my hair and almost threw me over. His figure was much bigger than mine and towered over me.

But I stood there, facing the great wolf, staring him down with the full power of the Blackwings' circling my eyes. "Fenrir." His claws twitched, his mouth pulling into a snarl as his pupils constricted. "Remember your place." I growled right back, undeterred by his imposing figure. There was a bloodthirst in his eyes that he needed to quench, but I wouldn't let him.

And my will was a command. Slowly but surely, he lowered his head to the ground and laid down, submitting to the ancient cords that kept him contained. The snarl remained, the defiant look in his eyes as he kept me within his sights. My eyes darted from his to the few remaining draugr standing amidst Aidan's legion. Their red eyes watched me closely, their expressions mirroring that of the wolf, waiting for an order now that their previous master had lost their chackles.

This time there was no shiver running down my spine when I saw the magic swirling in their lifeless eyes. "Return to your place in hell, lost souls." The darkness leaked into the sound of my voice, giving it a deep commanding undertone that rumbled through the passage. "Helya awaits you."

One by one their bones crumbled to the ground. The reanimated corpses of the Valerian soldiers fell limp, their eyes turning back to their colour but with no life left in them. The living bend towards their figures and gently closed their eyes, mourning their fallen brothers. With sadness in my heart, I watched their bowing figures, their slumped shoulders. 14 soldiers had fallen, all of them a heavy weight that I would carry with me for the rest of my life.

The wolf huffed and slowly stood up from the ground, waiting for me to give him his next command. I turned back towards him as I swallowed away the lump growing in my throat. There was resentment in his eyes, a will to fight. Still, ancient spells kept him under the command of whoever claimed the Blackwings' heritage, and thus kept him contained by their will. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't kill those that had power over him.

He was a god, chained to a ruthless family. A weapon to be wielded by their will, turning him into nothing more than a mindless monster. It all felt strangely familiar. I reached out towards him through the seidr, trying to feel what he was feeling. At first an anger greeted me but underneath was a great deal more of yearning, of hope.

"I've had enough of following orders, haven't you?" Sighing, I inched closer towards him and let my fingers thread through the fur on the side of his head.

His eyes softened, his snarl slowly ebbed away and soon he nudged his head against the palm of my hand in recognition. "Go, wolf." I whispered and gently laid my head between his eyes. "Be free of your cage."

He righted himself to his full height and looked down at me. It was as if he nodded at me in acknowledgement and respect, something worth far more than the blind obedience he'd shown before. I bowed back in turn and smiled as he slowly turned to leave, calmly making his way through the parting crowd that had gathered. Their gaping faces followed his giant figure, their eyes wary and their fingers hovering above the pommel of their swords.

I hadn't even noticed them until that moment. All Valerian soldiers turned towards me, their armour and skin covered in blood and gore, the whites of their eyes stark against the darkness. They held their helmets in their hands and seemed to wait for something, for me to say anything.

I had been gone for months and now here I was, commanding the very power we had defeated before my departure. The power that should've been frozen in time like its original wielder was. There was no doubt that that on itself evoked a thousand questions, and then you didn't even take in account the months of absence that had passed.

I didn't know what to tell them. I didn't even know how to begin to explain everything had that happened. Suddenly it felt like my throat was constricted and my stomach had filled with stone. The full weight of everything crashed down on me. I had let them down as their queen and left them for months without a word. I had traded their loyalty for that of but a single man and hadn't thought twice about it. My head started ringing, and I didn't know what to do to make their gazes turn away, to make them understand why I did what I did.

"Sister!" His cheerful voice quickly broke the tension as everyone turned to his advancing figure. Aidan made his way through the lines, his smile broad and easy as he wiped away the blood covering his cheekbones. He threw away his winged helmet and opened his arms wide when he'd passed everyone and walked into the makeshift clearing. "You couldn't help but make a grand entrance again, could you?!"

"Well, -" I chuckled lightly as I wrapped my arms around myself. The crowd eased by his light mood, their chuckles joining mine as they shuffled on their feet. "I learned from the best, Stormrage."

Aidan laughed, throwing his head back as his entire body moved with the motion. "That, you did." Finally, he arrived in front of me and laid his hand on my shoulder, the warmth tangible through the cloths I wore. We mirrored each other's grins, our eyes filled with relief. "It's good to see you again, sister." He lowered his voice for only me to hear as he lifted his hand against the side of my face, thumb pressing against my cheek and wiping away the dirt there.

I couldn't help the tears welling up in my eyes as I stared into his, savouring the various tints of grey they contained. He smelt like rain, the fresh scent of a new beginning, mixed with a hint of a winter breeze. "I've missed you, brother." Aidan's grin widened until it couldn't possibly get broader. He lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss on the top of my head, his hands gripping my upper arms tenderly.

"You're home now." Another familiar voice spoke up. My eyes flew open and quickly tried to find its source, finding the kind and gentle face of one of Valeria's greatest warriors and one of my closest friends. The commander's hair had been cropped to short brown strands but his steely blue eyes remained the same.

"Stefan." I breathed out in relief and reached for him.

"My queen." He smiled warmly and it made a fire start in my heart. It made me hope for the life that I had been promised here on Valeria, one filled with joy and love.

"Your majesties." Obi Wan's voice ripped me from the daydream. We both turned to glance at him, noticing his tense expression before we turned towards the source of his unease.

My heart stilled in my chest as I was reminded of the reason we were here. "Maul." The commanding tone made its appearance as I righted myself. The sith glanced at me as he stood on his one knee, trying to lift his now weak body from the ground. The mandalorian commander, Saxon, had his arm gripped tightly in his hands and tried to lift him back onto his feet.

The sith only snarled back at me, his eyes filled with fury as his hands balled into fists. They were the only two left of the army he had gathered and brough with him. The others were either lying on the ground, dead, or crumpled into heaps of ash or bones. Still, there was fight in his eyes. Maul wouldn't surrender to me. His pride prevented him from doing so, and begging was never an option.

"Stefan, take him into, -" Aidan's kingly voice disrupted the silence until he was abruptly interrupted.

"No." Both him and the jedi turned to look at me. I could feel their confusion from a few feet away. "Let him go." I decided as I stared the sith down. He didn't divert his gaze as he got up on his feet either.

Sighing deeply, my mind ran over the options. No matter how much I wanted him to pay for his mistakes, I had to put the fate of my planet above all else. Maybe I could prevent a prophecy from coming true with but a single decision. "Let him tell everyone he knows what happened here. Let him spread the story of how he came with an army and returned with only his own life. Let the galaxy know that Valeria is not to be trifled with."

I lifted my chin in pride while Maul had to cling onto his commander to stay upright. "That it is only by her queen's mercy that he parted with what little dignity he had left." As I finished, I turned towards Obi Wan, knowing that this was a decision he needed to be a part of. It was his nemesis, after all.

I was met with only pride. Obi Wan smiled back at me and nodded, folding his arms before his chest as he then turned his now cold gaze towards the Dathomirian. In the corner of my eye, I could see Stefan waiting for Aidan's permission, eyeing him closely for the curtests of nods which he was soon given.

"Very well." The king decided and nodded. The sith's shoulders seemed to lose their tension, but the red eyes remained wary of the numerous stares fixed upon him. "Never show your face here again, sith." Aidan continued in a low growl. "Or you'll have a storm coming."

Maul chuckled lowly and lowered himself into a mock bow. Aidan's hands clenched into fists and his jaw tensed, but his fury remained contained when the sith accepted the mandalorian's aid. Soon his jetpack activated and they soared through the sky, numerous Valerian gazes fixed upon their backs as they disappeared into the direction of their ship.

"Stefan." My head turned into the direction of his voice. "Make sure they leave peacefully." Aidan commanded.

"Your majesty." The commander bowed curtly and then unwrapped his great golden wings, lifting himself off the ground with one great swing. As I followed his figure, Obi Wan slowly made his way over to me and gently laid his hand on my waist.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, refraining himself from pressing a kiss against my temple now that numerous people were watching of which most wouldn't be happy about our relationship. In fact, judging by their gazes, most would like to kill the jedi themselves.

"I am." I turned to look at him and inched out of his reach, giving him a reassuring smile. My eyes darted over his figure, nothing the spots covered in blood, finding a few claw marks on the places Fenrir had slashed him but luckily none were bad. "Are you?" Instinctively my hand reached for his side and my palm pressed against the wound that had almost killed him.

Obi Wan scoffed softly and nodded, a ghost of a smile playing along his lips when he laid his hand atop mine. My heart fluttered, my fingers suddenly tingling with electricity and my cheeks flaming red.

"Kenobi." His face darted to the direction of the king's steely voice, noting the anger laced through it and finding it barely contained in his eyes. I could feel his muscles tensing beneath my hand and quickly turned towards the king's advancing figure.

"Your majesty, allow me to apologize, -" Before he could even finish his sentence Aidan had struck him right on the nose. The jedi almost doubled over as his hands flew up to his face, catching the blood that now streamed freely down his lips.

"Aidan!" I scolded as I darted towards Obi Wan, laying my hand along his jaw and directing his face to mine. The jedi hesitated, the pain still blinding, but followed my gentle movements and allowed me to examine the damage. His nose was now positioned in a weird angle, obviously broken, and the skin on it had split open by the force of the blow. "What in the hell was that for?!" I yelled as I then turned towards my brother.

"That... is between him and me." Aidan nodded and shrugged, puffing curtly to get rid of the excess anger. He then nodded at the jedi as if nothing had happened. "You should get that looked at, master jedi." He even had the audacity to smirk proudly about it before he turned towards his men, ignoring me as I cursed under my breath. "Men! Let's celebrate our victory and fill our halls with mead and meat!"

Huffing, I turned my gaze back to the pained jedi. "All right, easy." I cooed softly as Obi Wan lifted his head towards the sky and watched the numerous Valerian soldiers fly off. He chuckled to himself as he pressed his nose shut to stop the bleeding, his eyes darting to mine.

"You know, -" Obi Wan smirked at me. "- you pack a harder punch than your brother."

Whoop!

They nailed it again. Props to Aidan for his grand entrance, though. Funny to see that by just the 4 sentences last chapter most of you guys already figured out he was coming :P Couldn't ignore my baby much longer! Gotta give him some love.

Anyways, we've finally got some fluff coming after all that fighting. But after that, you know what's coming. We've got a prophecy to fulfil and orders to follow.

Hehehehe ~ evil laugh ~

This is going to be fun.