｡･:*:･ﾟ★,"Wait. you two aren't already married?"｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,"Little storm?"｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Andreas

"I'm going to check out the stone circle." I murmur to Saul as I hold his hand in mine. "If the shields are down it will be something to do with them."

"I can go with you-"

"You're needed here."

"Andreas." He pleads, looking up at me. "I've only just got you- I... I won't go another 16 years-"

"You won't. I'm not leaving anytime soon." I state, voice thick as I try to hold back the grateful tears at what I have been given.

Saul gives me an affronted look. "You can't promise not to die-"

"Of course I can." I state with a little grin. "If the gods deem it my time I will plead my case to Hades and when that undoubtedly doesn't work I'll claw my way out of Underworld back to you."

"Andreas." Saul sighs and closes his eyes briefly. "Just be careful and talk to the kids, yeah?"

"Which ones?" I smirk and he glares at me. "My apologies for not knowing the exact number of kids we have. Two we have- maybe three alright, wait-"

I raise a brow as Saul's thoughts become practically audible as he looks up in thought.

"Would it be illegal for Sky, Riven and Tavi to be together if they're all-... are we counting like, niece figures because Terra and Stella- you know what. You decide."

I gape at him.

"Dropping the gauntlet so soon?" I mock and he huffs.

"Well you tell me who our-"

"Beatrix, Sky, Riven, Octavia." I state and Saul glares at me.

"What about Stella, Terra and Dane?"

"Dane is a little shit and I have never cared for him, I do not know the Harvey girl and I don't plan too. Stel is like a niece but she is not my child." I narrow my eyes at him in challenge. "Your heart's too big."

"Says the male who adopted more children than me."

"That would actually be our other mate. We both know Irene would adopt half the lost kids at this school if she could." Saul grins and I can't help but share his loving sentiment. I don't know if I'll ever love Irene romantically but she's my best friend and I adore her. "Speaking of, do you plan to name our Omada any time soon? Considering you're the unofficial Alpha."

I pause. "I thought we were just going to be the Silva clan."

"And we both know how important tradition is to you so of course the name, the ceremony the thought bonds, the power exchanges and the whole drama production are necessary." I don't bother to hide my glare at his flippant tone. Saul softens when he sees my disgruntled expression. "I mean that genuinely, love. I know how much it matters to you."

"I'll come up with a name." I murmur, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his lips before pulling back to say- "when you decide you want to marry Irene and I."

"Irene and I-"

"Married for Sky, so that you would get custody." I interrupt, staring down at my mate. "I want us to marry for love. Not for anyone else, not for some law, tradition or deity. I want us all to have a day that celebrates our family - our love."

"Wait. you two aren't already married?" We whip around to face a frowning Sky and freeze in place.

"Sky-"

"Son, what-

"We were just-"

"We have something to tell-"

"What Saul is trying-"

"Andreas shut up-"

"Are you seriously telling me that the two of you haven't already snuck out to 'seal the deal'." Sky puts the last part in awkward air quotes as he tilts his head in an animalistic manner of curiosity. "I honestly thought you would have been married and mated by now."

"What-"

"How do you even-"

"Why would we-"

"Irene-"

"Of course-"

"That bloody woman-"

"You're not exactly subtle, you know." Riven huffs as he comes to stand by his own mate's side. "I mean, all of Silva's dramatic hints about love and mate bonds was a dead give away."

"Not to mention you are the epitome of protective and possessive, dad." Sky comments absently.

"You know what," I huff and they look at me expectantly. "I'm done. I'm fixing the stone circle, I'll see you all later."

"Love you." Saul calls after me as I dramatically storm off.

"Can I be the flower guy!" Sky yells after me.

"Does that mean I can be the ring dude?" Riven and Sky yelp as Saul no doubt clips them across the back of their heads.

Idiots, the trio of them. Of course I have to love them. They're all too fucking perfect. I don't bother to hide my grin even as I hastily jog to the stone circle. It's dark now and with the barrier down the remaining Burned Ones will no doubt be swarming.

Queen Luna sent word that War would be declared come morning and we really need to secure a victory here to set the tone. Low morale could get us killed. The stone circle is in sight and I breathe a sigh of relief. At least I made it this far.

There's no visible damage to the stone but there's a familiar iron tang of magic in the air. Rosalind must have been here, probably charging up like she used to. I circle the centre tone, checking for any tracks or blood trails or anything that could-

No.

No, please no.

"Little storm?" I whisper.

"Oh helios. No, Oh no. Baby." I slump to my knees not daring to touch my babygirl where she rests. "Bea, sweetheart, it's daddy."

She doesn't move.

My breath is coming in shaking pants and I slowly raise my hands as though to touch- no. No, no no. With a careful caress as though anything more would break her I brush back a strand of hair from her face.

"Stormy?" I murmur, tears dripping down my face as I cradle hers in my hands. "Baby wake up, I'm here, daddy's here. It's okay now, you- you can come back. I'll keep you safe now."

But she doesn't move. Just stares unseeing at the stars above her.

"I'm here, I'm here." I murmur as I gently pull her into my arms, cradling her as I once did when she was a babe. "Are you looking at the stars sweetie? They're so pretty tonight."

She's not answering me. Why isn't she answering me, she loves the stars. She loved Harry Potter with the Black family and their names. Why- why isn't she talking about them? She loves to ramble, why isn't my baby-

No. please no. No, no no no. I think I'm saying the words aloud but I can't tell. Her skin is so cold and I desperately wrap her in my coat, praying to Helios that she'll warm up.

"Little storm ,I- I know you're tired. B-but I can still feel your lightning in th-the air. So you just used it. So you need to wake up now." I mumble, brushing the hair back from her face as I move her in my arms till she looks comfortable. "You can do it sweetie, you just have to dig a little deeper. Charge up a bit-"

A sob breaks from my throat.

I drop my head to rest down against her unmoving forehead.

"She's not going to wake up. Is she?" I say to the figure who has joined me.

My baby. My sweet little girl. Who- who would-

No. But the plan-

No, please no.

"No, no she won't." I slowly look up into the calm face of Rosalind.

Not Rosalind. Not her. Not to my Beatrix.

She did this. She killed my daughter. I hate her. I don't think I've ever hated someone with such a burning passion. The sounds of Burned Ones echo through the silence, disrupting my peace and all I can think about is watching her get devoured piece by piece by them. With no one to hear the screams ring like a church bell or watch the life drain from her eyes just like no one was here for my baby. And when the blood flows like a river down a cliff's edge, that is when I will give her the mercy of death.

Calm Dad. I can practically hear her voice. You can't rush into this.

No. no I can't.

I clear my throat, forcing down my rage till I choke on it.

She's not getting away with this. She doesn't get to live while my baby dies.

"Nothing to say to me?"

"Will you let me grieve in peace?" I whisper, thinking through every possible way to make her bleed.

"You've gotten soft. Pathetically so." Rosalind comments but I can see a plan form behind her eyes. "I'll bring her back for you."

I freeze.

"But I want something in return."

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Octavia

She's gone.

It's- odd. As though I am floating. I can feel her absence but its-

She's not here, she's always been here. That little shadow who would track her movements and hum in time with her heartbeat but now... it's just silent.

Rosalind killed her.

I ignore my mates as they come to stand on either side of me.

Sky's been acting jittery. I can see the blood thrumming through his veins as he paces behind me while Riven watches on in concern. Someone's given him something. Beatrix probably fucked up the number on that potion she gave him to wake him up.

I scoff at the thought. Her last act to her brother was to screw him over. How very on brand of her.

As a unit we stare out at the forest, waiting for the Burned Ones to appear. They're hunting Bloom. I glance over to where Silva is carrying the passed out Changeling. She's a beacon of power they'll be-

The Dragon Flame.

How important it is to so many people. The Burned Ones, the Blood witches-

Unless it's only important to the Burned Ones because of the Blood Witches controlling them. But why would they need the Dragon Flame? They have plenty of power, they can get more whenever. Fairy magic doesn't work well for them. Unless it's revenge for Aster Dell.

"Octavia?" Riven murmurs, a hand brushing against my own.

"Beatrix is dead." I state and they freeze.

"What." Sky croaks and I look over in time to see the tears spilling down his face. Silva has frozen behind him. "I- how, what-"

"Andreas is with her in the Stone Circle." Silva is moving before I have the chance to stop him. "It was Rosalind."

"She escaped?" Sky snarls.

"We let her out." I whisper.

"Why- the plan was to wait-"

"I thought we had it under control-"

"My sister is dead!" He screams, eyes wide as he shakes. "She's dead and- I didn't even get the chance to know her properly."

"Sky." Riven murmurs but the exhaustion on Sky's face has him stopping. We've lost too much, too many. And Ellie. Fuck this is a mess. Sky shakes his, a mumbled apology and a 'i love you' leaving his lips before he chases after Silva.

"Octavia!" We turn to see one of the specialists - Francesca - running towards us. "The Solarian troops are back."

Lykos was the one who betrayed us. Who sold Ricki out. My shadows reported back what Rosalind said. Why they didn't bother to warm me that Rosalind was-

You can't change fate.

Or history.

I ignore them.

I pass through the courtyard, appreciating the way my sister commands the specialists and fairies alike. She's in her element. I smile sadly at the thought, Beatrix would have wanted to see her.

You are calm.

Why are you so calm about this?

Because Beatrix is not dead. I state with a frown. Why would they think she was gone? She's not gone.

Mistress.... Rosalind drained her body-

Then why can I feel her power? I roar at them, rage threatening to overpower me in a single moment. I twist my head, focusing on following the specialist as I regain control. Calm. I need to be calm. Beatrix needs me to be in control.

They pause. Thinking until one of them whispers. Rosalind took her power that is why you can feel it.

No. She's alive. That's why I can feel it.

"Octavia." Lykos calls with a grin and open arms. "Glad to see you in one piece-"

My knuckles sting at the move but I pay them no mind as I pin Lykos to the floor with my hands at his throat. I distantly hear the rest of the soldiers crowd round, ready to defend their general but-

"Fuck with her and I will skin you alive." Thank Helios for Riven.

"You sold us out." I whisper to Lykos and rage burns low in my gut at his confused expression. "You're the reason Ricki was killed. Why Ellie was killed"

Realisation dawns on his face and I relish in that little flicker of fear in his eyes.

"You can't place the blame of that on me. I was merely doing my job and reporting to my Queen." He states, choking slightly when I tighten my grip on his throat.

"Maybe not but you aren't blameless." I stare down at him, feeling my eyes blacken as I plan all the ways to kill him slowly.

"Pix." Riven calls, crouching down beside me, facing out towards the circle of soldiers illuminated in the darkness so he can keep an eye on the immediate threat. "He's the general commander and the Queen is about to declare a state of war... you can't kill him."

"Can't I?" I grin, snarling down at the pathetic male before me. "Andreas can have his job."

"Andreas is grieving, so are you."

"She's not dead." I state and Lykos frowns in confusion. "Even if she is, I'll bring her back."

"That's not how the world works, my love." Riven whispers and I can hear the grief in his voice.

"It is today." I snarl and slam the general against the ground so hard that he passes out before storming off into the school.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Riven

I don't bother calling after my mate nor do I make any move to help Lykos to his feet. He moves slowly and I step back in line with the other specialists who were drawn out to the front of the school in answer to the approaching cars.

"You've changed Riven." Lykos states as he wipes under his nose to wipe off the blood. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"What's going on?" One of the specialists demands, Tegan I think, as she pulls a blade from her back with Kat mirroring her movements. I turned back to Lykos, seeing what my specialists saw as the soldiers lined up in a squad before us, bows raised and arrows loaded.

"Easy." I command, stretching an arm out to stop the specialists from doing anything stupid as Queen Luna steps out from one of the cars.

"Riven Everson." Luna states and some twists in my gut, this isn't going to end well. Even in the dark twilight light I can see the paleness of the Queen's face, the hesitance and- fear."You are needed for questioning under the eyes of Olympus."

"Regarding?" I question in confusion. Of all the times-

"The murder of Calum of Solaria." Luna states and I freeze in shock but the grief that flickers across her eyes has me pausing and turning to see what she is looking at. Stella is storming down the steps, ordering the specialists back inside as she comes to stand between her mother and I.

"Absolutely not." Stella commands, "By Solaria law Mr Everson cannot be taken away from his post during a time of war or level four 3 and above battle. We are currently engaged in a level four and as lieutenant of the specialists he cannot be permitted to leave Alfean grounds-"

A tear dripping down her mother's face brings her pause and I freeze at the expression on the Queen's face as she traces a hand down her daughter's face.

"I am sorry, my darling." She murmurs, but every Dumaris can hear her words. "But this is out of my control.

In seconds, the grieving mother is replaced with the mask of the queen.

"It is with a heavy heart that I must place you under arrest, Stella Siatra of Solaria."

"For what?" I demand, stepping in front of my friend and the specialists shift behind me, ready to fight.

"The attempted murder... of Ricki Anderson."

A/N: It will get better..... promise.