｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆ Protective Shadows｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Octavia

"Octavia!" Sky calls from behind me.

I pause, turning in place to see him mumble a few words to Terra before jogging over to my side. I wonder if he's going to mention the reports.

"Terra said Riven just needs to sleep off this last potion then he'll be good to go."

I smile in relief, happy to hear the sarcastic boy will be back to his usual antics in no time. Sky smiles awkwardly at me, face more serious this time, going to say something-

Terra's listening

I cut him off with a look, glancing at Terra who's doing a terrible job at trying to pretend she's not listening before tugging on Sky's arm to pull him out of the greenhouse. We quickly stride through the jungle, my hand slipping down his arm. Sky grips onto my hand as he shoots me a quick smile as we exit through the glass doors into the afternoon light. I blush and glance down at the gravel path. Helios, what is going on with me?

Sky and I pause outside the greenhouse, taking in the fresh air and crisp weather before moving to one side of the door where we would be partially hidden from the nosy specialists.

"I was hoping to talk to you about Bloom." Sky smiles hesitantly at me.

Oh.

I drop his hand.

"I thought-"

"Bloom told me what happened." Sky states face serious and I pause. What does he mean?

My confusion must show because Sky looks at me in disbelieving shock, giving me a little scoff before, "The argument. You threatened to have her arrested after a petty fight."

"I-" What is he-,

"Why would-" Sky shakes his head, sighing as if he expected this. "You can't just do things like that, Tavi."

He's scolding me. He's scolding me. What the hell did that bitch tell him?

"She was insulting-"

"Yeah, I know. Lashing out because you didn't help her. Not properly." Sky snaps eyes alight with rage. "You said you were going to help her."

"I did!" I yell. "I helped her as much as I could until she accepts who she is."

I'm shaking with rage by this point. "She's not one of us, Sky."

"Oh, fuck off Octavia." Sky roars, turning sharply away from and dragging his hand through his hair.

That LITTLE FUCKER. I'll rip his tongue out.

Leave it. I snarl. This is not your fight.

"That's such bullshit." He seethes, whipping back round to face me. "She is just as much-"

"That is not what I meant." I raise my hands up in rage, "She wasn't raised like us-"

"No, no of course not." He snarls, and I swallow back tears of frustration at his cruel expression. "Because no one was raised like the great Octavia and Stella Siatra."

"That is not fair."

How dare he.

I watch in horror as a shadow whips out and snaps at Sky's throat. A line of red blood quickly beaded on his pale skin. He reels back in shock, a hand reaching up to clasp his throat as he takes a stumbling step back. My hands claw out to physically wrestle the shadows into a viscous embrace.

"Isn't it?" he pants, His eyes are wide as he stares at me in horror, his breath coming in hard gasps. "How is it not fair, Tavi."

His voice tapers off and wavers into an even more heartbreakingly quiet and controlled voice.

"You keep losing control of your power, you refused to help Bloom, ran away from your problems and endangered not only yourself but Riven as well and now you've gone and threatened to arrest Bloom." he shakes his head. "How is it not fair?"

Tears slowly drip down my face and I stare emotionlessly at Sky.

"Bloom asked me to apologise on her behalf, she thought you might get upset if you spoke to her in person." Sky croaks, his face blank from all emotion as mine begins to crumble. "She wanted your help again, properly this time, but I'm not sure that's the best idea now."

I'm shaking, tears flowing freely now.

Sky scoffs and storms away, head ducked down in anger and a hand holding the wound.

Panic begins to claw at my throat. What have I done? Oh Helios, Sky was right. What have I been doing? I hurt him, oh helios-

Octavi-

You've done enough. I roar and the shadows hide away.

I collapse against the greenhouse wall, falling down to the floor as I break into sobs. I curl up into a ball, resting my head on my knees as I scream in pain. My heart races as I just cry, I cry for what Sky said, for what I did to deserve such treatment, I cry for the childhood Sky thinks I had and I cry for the sheer stress this gods-forsaken school has brought me.

Why did I think this would be any different? Beatrix and were good friends because we understood each other, we understood the pressure we both faced with the responsibility of completing our missions and controlling our power. Helios, I was there for Bea when she first lost control and killed a hummingbird. She cried for days and days to the point we had to have a small funeral for the damn thing, Andreas, Bea and I all dressed in our best clothes. Drea even made a little headstone for him.

But Sky is not Beatrix. Bea was there for me when I lost control, she was there for me when I lost my powers entirely and when I got them back. I don't know if Sky would do that for me. I don't know if he could do that for anyone. Maybe for Riven, but Riv doesn't have magic, or the weight of a crown hanging over his head.

It's different for fairies, I tried to tell Bloom that but I guess I did a shit job. We're raised differently to Dumaris. They're raised to hone and master their instincts, to make them a tool rather than become a slave to them. Dumaris are pack animals, fairies less so. It was only with the development of mate bonds that we became more social creatures that stayed loyal to a chosen mate, or mates in more recent time. Loyalty is everything to Dumaris like Sky and Silva and probably Riven too. If I said I was going to help Bloom he would have expected me to do it to the best of my ability. To not hold back or stop. It's just the way he was raised, his word and the ability to trust what he says is important to Sky. I forgot that.

I can appreciate that but in my line of work it's not a reliable form of agreement. Helios, Bea and I have been running missions for Rosalind since we were 15. After she let us out of the cages we were desperate to have freedom again, we did anything for it. Things that Sky would not approve. Riven though.

Riven would understand. I don't know why I think that but I'm sure. He would trust me and he would trust what I say. Riv would also understand that I did what I did to survive, to stay alive and eventually to help people. I'm making up for my crimes now. Making up for all the people I have tortured, killed and maimed on Rosalind's orders.

Sky would be raging at that, but maybe he would understand that it was an order. From a general to a soldier. That's what it was for Andreas. That's what it was like for Beatrix and I. Helios, Sky still doesn't know about his father. At least the gem on my back prevents me from actually having to say something. I'll have something to blame as to why I've not spilled any of Rosalind's little secrets. Still doesn't change the fact that I've been puzzling over ways to tell Sky when I get the gem off, or how tell him without removing it. I haven't come up with anything. Besides, it's not just Sky I would have to tell. Irene and Silva have a right to know as well. Even Dowling and Harvey were friends of Drea's back in the day, they would want to know too. Though I doubt they'll be pleased.

I take a shaking breath and smooth out my top, slowly standing using the wall for support. I was really enjoying today as well. Riv and I we're having a great time. But Sky- no. No more thinking about Sky. I'm getting more pathetic about it by the second. I have a meeting to plan security for. 

All the advisors are coming, mother's inner council. Alfea is a prime location as it's roughly in the centre of all their seats of power. There's 17 Ministerial departments including, the department of Education, international trade, transport, work and pensions, health care and the treasury. All of whom are sending their leading minister to participate in the discussions which will no doubt last till the end of the weekend. Tonight to settle in and make underhand deals among each other, tomorrow to have the introductionary debates and discussions, Saturday to divide into sub committees and discussions and then Sunday to finalise decisions and have closing debates. 

All of the days will have a fancy meal at the end of the meetings for people to pursue and campaign for support. Which means as royalty I also have to consider outfits, political allegiances (we shouldn't technically have a stance as we want what is best for the people), security issues and there's always the slight chance of assassination attempts. Though at this rate I'll be begging for someone to try and kill me just for the sport of hunting them down after... or maybe I'll let them go through with it and skip this whole palava all together.

I walk back into the greenhouse, I might as well keep a passed out Riven company as I go through the last of the report and finalise tonight's plans. Terra is still working away in a corner of the workbench courtyard as I move through to the Infirmary and take up residence in the chair by Riv's side. I ditch my bag and move a table over, something I should have done earlier.

Papers quickly litter the table and I read the last of the burned ones report and begin drafting a plan.

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♕ℌ𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔢 𝔖𝔦𝔞𝔱𝔯𝔞 𝔬𝔣 𝔖𝔬𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔞♕

General Lýkos, Minister of Defence,

By order of the Government of Solaria the Burned Ones are to be tracked and daily reports taken. This is to be done through the use of digital tracking tags, collars, anklets and further methods to be agreed upon. Missions to be carried out throughout the period of a week in key locations to be decided.

_____________________________________________________

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Sky

Afternoon comes and Irene is still working the first years into submission. Helios above I am grateful to not be in that position once again.

"Namir, the pond needs dredging. Take your group and sort it out." Irene commands.

"Aikon," She calls and I see Samuel flinch in fear at having her attention. "The wood shed is empty and we've had fresh delivery logs for cutting, unload the truck and chop them up."

I stand by my foster mother's side, waiting for her to finish giving commands to the first years. It's a fairly cloudy day, which I'm sure all the specialists are appreciating, there's nothing worse than being forced to work through one of Irene's drills while under the scorching heat.

"Elway, the weapons need cleaning. Take your group and clear out the entire armoury onto the tables out here."

"There are no tables." a first year mutters to his friend and Irene's head whips toward her.

"Then the three of you can start carrying them out here." The specialist ducks her head in irritation and I grin as her friends shoot her glares of annoyance.

"Move it!" Irene snaps and the small group scurries away.

"Ditkon, illium and Abubakar... Have your groups scrub down all three rooms of the armoury."

I smirk at their groans of annoyance. Doing my best to focus on their suffering rather than the argument I had with Octavia. Helios, it was so stupid of me to expect her to be different to Stella. Instead I just went and made the same mistakes over and over again.

"Sky?" Irene frowns as she turns to face me. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

I wince. "Yeah... I was hoping we could talk."

She stares at me curiously, eyes filled with concern but face blank. I glance around at the specialists eyeing us curiously, I make a noise of 'there are loads of people here and I've got stuff to tell you'.

Understanding dawns in her eyes and she nods, glaring at those around us before walking past me and hooking her arm through mine.

"Walk with me." She commands.

I comply.

We walk through the grounds at a leisurely pace, Irene occasionally stopping to give advice and using me as a demonstration multiple times. I think she's flipped me onto my back at least 5 times. I'm starting to regret wanting her advice.

"Oh don't look so put out." Irene jokes, bumping her shoulder into mine. Well... my arm, because she's short. "This will be a useful skill for you one day."

"Learning how to lose a fight?" I ask incredulously, grinning as she rolls her eyes at me.

"Well...." She trails of with a smile and I chuckle, glancing at the ground. "It is a good skill, Sky. Knowing how to lose, knowing how to do it safely, how to get back up, how to learn from it."

Her voice has gone soft and I'm reminded of all those evenings spent sat on the floor in front of the fire as Irene combed through my hair and gave me advice.

"Besides," She states with a lighter tone. "I thought you wanted to have a leadership role you when graduate."

"I'm not sure what I want." I confess, looking at her in worry.

"That's why you're keeping your options open." She smiles at a passing pair of third years doing laps of the track. "Keep your studies in a open range of subjects, you've got you're specialist training and then you have saul and I."

She grins. "So at the very least you can take over for Saul when I drag him into retirement."

I roll my eyes and laugh at the imagery. Of course that's how they'll go, I can already picture it. Silva wanting to stay for one last battle, Irene dragging him to safety, then getting bored herself and sneaking out of the house to hunt.

A heavy weight settles in my chest at the thought of taking over for Silva. Is that what I want? To live a soldiers life and then prepare the next generation to take over for me.

Laughter sounds beside me and I raise my brows at Irene's giggling figure as she lifts a hand to cover her mouth.

"What?" I demand, unable to keep my smile off my face at the sight of hers.

"You don't have to look so horrified at the though of Silva and I's job. We kept you happy and afloat didn't we?"

"I-" Guilt crashes through me, of course. They took the job to take care of me. "Yes, you've done a good job, Mãe."

She hums, tugging me closer to her in side hug. "Yes, I think we did a pretty good job with you meu filho."

We continue to walk through the training field. Irene pausing to give a short lesson on correct form when training against the punching bags. At least I got to hit the bag this time instead of the floor. Silva is nowhere to be seen as the hour gets later and later. He has class now but it seems Irene is covering for him.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Irene asks as we turn to walk back through the grounds.

I hesitate. "It's, well it's-"

"Oh spit it out Sky, I changed you as a baby, picked lice out of your hair as a child and had to suffer through 'the talk' when you were a teen." I blush and look away in embarrassment. "So quite honestly, at this point, nothing is going to put me off, be too embarrassing or make me think ill of you."

Warmth blossoms in my chest at her words.

"Is it about Riven?" She worries for a second but relaxes when I shake my head. She stares at me, waiting for me to break and tell her. Worked every time as a kid.

"Octavia and I got in a fight." I wince in shame. I'm not sure which one of us was right in that argument, although I think I may have just been yelling at her the whole time.

"The princess? Stella's sister, the one who beats you and Riv in every fight during training?" I blush and try to form words before sighing and giving her a nod.

"I thought you two were good friends, she runs with you and Riv in the mornings too, right. She's the one who stayed with Riven today while you had class and the one who Riven so vehemently defended."

I nod awkwardly again, starting to feel like I might have fucked up a little.

"Well what happened?" She demands in confusion.

I sigh. "I asked her to help Bloom, the fir-"

"The fire fairy with no control, yes, yes." She waves me off.

"Right, yeah. Well apparently she only spoke to Bloom, told her some nonsense about mindset and then left her in the deep end."

"So you got in an argument over Octavia giving Bloom the same advice I would if I was her teacher?"

"Well, no it wasn't- wait, hang on. Same advice" I question, "I thought that was bad advice."

Irene glares at me. "It's the only advice, Sky. And why are you making judgments about how fairies should teach other fairies?"

Well now I feel like a scolded child.

"Well that doesn't matter," I shake my head, wincing when she gives me the look so I quickly add on, "Octavia, is just like Stella. That was the argument. She refused to help Bloom further, mocked her about her powers, threatened to have her arrested due to a petty fight and then she lost control of her own power and hurt me."

I indicate to my neck, surprised when Irene merely cocks her head at the injury.

"Well you deserved that one kid." She comments and turns on her heel to walk away.

Wait, what? I hurry after her, struggling to keep up with her fast pace as she strides towards the training mats.

"I-how did I deserve-"

"Because you're being ignorant, Sky." She hums and comes to halt, causing me to bump into her.

Irene glares at me so I take a step back. I must look super confused because she sighs and takes pity on me.

"Look, there are some things in life that you just have to work out for yourself. Especially girl drama, because no matter what you think you are not actually going to take anyone's advice you have asked for." I frown, of course I listen to her advice.

"You're not going to do something because someone else told you to when you have so clearly made up your mind." She comments offhandedly with a wave of dismissal.

"I haven't decided anything." I whine indignantly.

"Yes, you have."

A/N: Thought's on Sky's relationship with Bloom here? And who was right in the argument, Sky was the aggressor but he had some serious points to make.