Chapter 20 Death often thinks on the fragility of Life. Not humans themselves, per se, but how carelessly they are handled by a fickle Fate. One wrong move, one lapse in judgment, and the living are discarded for Death to catch. You see, Life does not tolerate that which makes her look weak. For this reason, so few (it seems) remain in her good graces. Mara ponders this as she watches a dying king attempt to keep up with his powerful brother. They spar in a dirt ring, swords glinting in the shy streams of morning sunlight. Their smiles and breathless laughter speak to the bond buried deep between them. How boyish they seem. Death has been watching them for only a short time, but that is what she concludes. Along with how unfair her present occupation is. Mara takes no satisfaction in ripping these souls apart. But Life has given up on Kitt Azer, leaving her to blame for his demise. She usually does not mind looking like the bad guy, taking the fall for Life's impulsive decisions. But not with him. No, for some terrible reason, Death wants him to think of her fondly. The clashing of steel summons Mara's attention once more, where she finds the royals caught in a sharp embrace, their blades crossed closely between them. Here, the Enforcer has a moment to study his brother's drawn face. "Are... are you all right?" Death tilts her head at his astute observation. The king shoves away from his brother. "Why do you ask?" Kitt knows precisely why his brother asks. He looks worse than Death. In fact, most find Death to look quite enticing. Kai shakes his head. "Something... feels different." Curious, this prince. "I've been a bit under the weather recently." Kitt's lies are casually strung together. "It will pass, I'm sure." It will not. "Now," he pants, "have you been out here all night?" The brother lets out a labored laugh. "After all these years, that shouldn't surprise you." Kitt is entirely too enthralled to notice Death's presence. Or, perhaps he has simply grown used to her watchful gaze. She much prefers that theory. Familiarity is intimate. "I figured you were with Paedyn," the king says far too casually. Several blows later, Kai manages, "I haven't... I haven't seen her since the cellar." Ah, yes. The cellar. Pacing around that table, filled to the brim with food and a chattering court, Mara had observed the extravagant feast in honor of Paedyn's return from her second Trial. A sham, to be certain, as the king once told her the Ordinary was simply a pawn in his great, albeit flawed, plan for Ilya. Still, Death enjoyed herself. She listened to Lenny's distress over how many forks were set before him while Blair offered her condescension rather than comfort. Mara then relished the way Kitt's eyes continually found hers from across the room, or the way his lips twitched when she whispered her findings about his court. One man was wearing two different-colored socks. Another was on his fourth plate of food. The woman beside her was commenting on Paedyn's hair and how, for an Ordinary, it actually looked quite nice. Death, and the soul that would soon be hers, carried on like this until the king was obligated to make a toast. His bride-to-be followed suit, though hers was little more than a threat thrown at Blair. The tension was then alleviated by the dismissal of this entertaining dining experience when the trio (plus Death) made their way to the cellar below. There, Mara watched Kitt's worries melt away when he lovingly referred to his brother as "Kai Pie." Paedyn and the brothers she had unknowingly tugged apart spent most of the night swallowing wine when their mouths weren't bubbling with laughter. But it was Kai the king focused his attention on. This, more than the Enforcer's want for a betrothed woman, was obvious. Now, with the prince's safe return to Ilya, Kitt wastes no time in his brother's presence. For he has little left. "I'm surprised," the panting king says in the center of that dirt ring. This, of course, is in response to Kai's supposed lack of contact with the future queen. Kai blocks a swift blow. "And why would that surprise you?" "You know why." "Enlighten me," the Enforcer dares. Death leans on a weapon rack, her anticipation growing. "Because you love her!" the king blurts raggedly. He lowers his sword, defeated. "Perhaps more than anything." Mara is growing rather good at recognizing fear within Kitt, ever since learning of the nightmare that plagues him. But this fear she now senses is nagging, stalking the king in broad daylight. Unlike most, it is not her-Death. But rather, the lack of love from the one person who has seen all of him. Kai swallows. "Don't be ridiculous, Kitty. She is your bride." "And I am your brother," the king returns. "Always. No matter what." His Enforcer nods. "You and me. Always." Fervently, that is all Kitt Azer wants in this life he now slips from. Death watches them spar long into the morning. Kitt, the lesser of the two swordsmen, forgets to dodge several of the Enforcer's rehearsed attacks. So, they carry on until every movement is precise. Mara wonders if this is intention, if the king purposely fumbles his footing just to spend more time with his beloved brother. It is a long while before Kai steps from the ring to carry on with his Enforcer duties. The king, noticing Death for the first time, offers her a breathless smile. His hair is ruffled by the wind's cool fingers, skin slick with sweat. He looks uniquely alive in this moment, despite the obvious tells of Life itself slowly fleeing him. "What do you know about him?" Mara asks, nodding to the retreating Enforcer. Kitt chuckles, then coughs. "Kai? He is my brother." "So how much do you know about him?" "He's a Wielder-a rare Elite able to use the powers of those around him," the king supplies. "We share-shared-a father. And I know everything about him." Kitt's smile fades. Mara regrets her question. "I know everything about Kai, and I would do anything for him. I am doing everything for him. This is all for us." "Very well." The king has grown more irritable as of late, so Death ceases her inquiries. Besides, learning of Kai's Wielder ability is all Mara needs to mull over. Her suspicions are nearly confirmed. "Why do you ask?" Kitt finally sighs out. Mara watches the Enforcer disappear into a swarm of Imperials. "So you were born from different wombs?" "My mother died giving birth to me," the king admits. "So, yes. Different queens." "Hmm." "You choose now to be cryptic, Mara?" Death is often motivated by the hope of him saying her name. "I don't choose," she returns. "It is simply my nature." Mara strides from the king then-she learned a long time ago that it is best to leave a man wanting. She can feel those green eyes tracing her figure (Death has left her cloak in the Mors, you see-not for Kitt, of course, but because it is unseasonably warm). Following her usual routine, Mara ensures to check on her other two souls. Quite the motherly creature she is. When Death appears behind the Tele's locked door, she finds the floor to be scattered with candles. "Okay," Lenny is saying, "so you'll have me pinned against the wall like the hopeless Hyper I am, and when Pae isn't looking, you let me go-" "So you can tip a candle and start the fire I die in." Blair rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I got it." The Imperial surveys the room and every candle discreetly decorating it. "I'll need to get some cooking oil from the kitchen to sprinkle on the floor." Mara weaves through the sea of wax before taking a seat on the bed, thoroughly enthralled. She had not expected to walk in on such scheming. Blair sighs in annoyance. This is not their first time running through this plan, Death concludes. "The Ordinary will be trapped in the flames-" "She won't be in the flames," Lenny cuts in. "Just... surrounded. And I will get her out of the room before she is harmed. This will be perfectly safe," he adds, more for himself than the Tele. "She'll be fine," Blair huffs. "This is my fake death, after all. I'll disappear behind the flames and head down the hidden stairway." It is hardly the most impressive plan, but Death, truthfully, had expected worse. The Imperial nods slowly. "And I will declare you dead." Mara very much dislikes being wrongfully accused. "What about my body?" Blair's skepticism is met with a shrug. "I'll say I took care of it?" "My mother will ask questions," the Tele retorts. "You will have to tell her that my body was severely burned, so you buried me in the cemetery before anyone could see. We have a family plot there. The sergeant will be relieved that you spared her the embarrassment of holding a funeral." "What could she possibly be embarrassed about?" Lenny asks, baffled. "She would have just lost her daughter. Well, not actually, but still." "Death by Ordinary," she states. "She will be crippled by the shame." The Tele smiles sinisterly. "That is one of the reasons I find this plan so enticing." "Right." Lenny clears his throat. Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he murmurs, "Speak of the devil..." Mara hears it several seconds later, that incessant clicking of heels. Blair barely manages to roll her eyes before the door is swiftly unlocked and swung open. "This is ridiculous," the sergeant declares. She strides toward Blair with all the confidence of a woman twice her stature. "You've hid from the Ordinary long enough. It's time to resume your studies so you don't disgrace us all when your father steps down." Blair holds her mother's steely stare. Lenny watches, hesitantly. And Death, well, she quite enjoys a good show. "I think I'll stay in here, actually," the Tele retorts simply. "Don't be coy," her mother snaps. She then grabs Blair's wrist and begins dragging her toward the door. "And stop picking at your palm," she orders, examining her daughter's hand. "Such a nasty habit-" Mentally, Blair slams the door shut before yanking her arm from the sergeant's grasp. "Too imperfect for you?" Blair sneers. Her mother turns, slowly, to face her daughter's disdain. "When I was seven," she starts slowly, "my fingers were bandaged for a month. At age ten, you tied gloves around my wrists. All because you couldn't have people seeing I was damaged." "Enough," the sergeant spits. "You ungrateful child. I always knew you would be an utter disgrace-" "You can't speak to her like that." Mara turns on her heel, brows lifting slightly at the Imperial's boldness. Blair seconds this surprise and whips her head in Lenny's direction. The sergeant seems startled by his presence. It is as though she hadn't even noticed him. "And why not?" "Because I have been ordered by the king to guard Blair from any threat," he says in a shockingly assertive tone. "And that now includes you." The woman blinks. Then she laughs humorlessly. "Oh, this is pathetic! You are nothing, child. Now stay out of affairs that don't concern you." Blair steps forward then, shielding the Imperial with her own body. "I'm the only one who gets to be a bitch to him," she sneers. "Yeah," Lenny agrees from over her shoulder. "What she said." "Now get out, Mother." The door swings open at the Tele's command. "I told you. I'm staying here." The sergeant's gaze flicks between the two souls, now further entangled. Death is peering at the mingling of gold and green when the woman huffs in disbelief. It really is rather obvious where Blair came from. "I don't believe it," she murmurs toward her daughter. "You care for him." The Tele grows very still. "I do not." Another biting laugh from the sergeant, this one followed by the retreating click of her heels. "You know better than to lie to me, Blair." She stops in the doorway, bristling. "Rot in here if you like. You have already disgraced this family enough." And with that, the sergeant leaves a deafening silence in her wake. Mara eyes the Tele and her Imperial. Unknowingly, she has begun tapping her foot against the floor. "She's a Bluff," Lenny murmurs. "Isn't she?" (Death finds the title of this Elite to be rather self-explanatory.) Blair slams the door shut once again. "It doesn't mean anything." "Oh, yes it does." The Imperial laughs in disbelief. "It means you care about me, and that is the truth." "The truth," Blair says in that patronizing tone, "is that I will snap you in half, gingersnap." "See, your heart is racing, which makes me think you're lying-" The Tele launches that purple ball at his face once again (Mara still does not understand where it keeps coming from), effectively shutting him up. Death almost smiles at the unlikely pair. Perhaps not all entangled souls are doomed. Yes, these two are different. They are soul ties, Mara supposes-free to decide what they are to each other. Alongside the other is precisely where they are meant to be. Surely, this is the case for Death and a certain soul who warms her cold heart. In a romance-themed observation show, several participants undergo a series of interactions and conflicts filled with love, misunderstandings, and power struggles. In the end, one couple rises to over...