1. Seraphic

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏. a new agreement

s e r a p h i n a

☽ ☾

After the events of her birthday ball, Seraphina had locked herself away in her chambers and cried tears of pain, not only because she had been right all along about him, but because she'd caught only a glimpse of her brother, and her best friend had been more important to him than even seeing her.

She missed him. So, so much. Sometimes her heart hurt and all she could do was cry and hold a framed photo of the both of them on her sixteenth birthday, one of the last photos of them ever taken.

But after what had happened earlier that day, just a few raw hours ago, she began to wonder if she meant as much to him as she once did.

She wondered if Malachai had only gone there for Kara.

When Diana came to her and sat with her, she confessed she wished she could have seen him.

And Diana being Diana didn't judge. She understood. She pulled her into a hug and reassured her that she was allowed to feel that way and anyone who told her otherwise didn't know anything.

They sat together in comfortable silence for a while, Diana holding Seraphina while she cried, until there was a knock at the door.

The former had gone to answer, while the latter held a fluffy cushion to her chest and stared at the door in expectation.

"Your parents are calling you to the war room," she said on walking back. "They said you can take your time but that it is an urgent matter. To do with 'what you have been discussing recently,' in their words."

She climbed out of bed, slipping into her shoes.

"I have to go," she said, rushing towards her and pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Di. I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, squeezing her back before letting her go. "Make sure you remember to eat dinner, okay? Your upset does not mean you forget to eat."

"I will try to," she said, giving her an assuring smile before she hurried out of the room.

They could have changed their minds. After all this time, they could finally have changed their minds. So what if they hadn't done so previously? That didn't mean they couldn't have done so now.

Seraphina made her way down to the way room as swiftly and as cautiously as she could, giving all the passing guards a smile on her way past them.

When she finally entered the war room, her nerves were thrumming, humming, buzzing with excited anticipation.

"You called for me?" she asked.

"Yes," her mother said as her father closed the doors. "It is to do with the General and the war."

"What is it?" she asked, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice.

Regina laughed softly. "Look at you, getting all happy," she teased. "Well, you should be. You are getting what you want, exactly what you have been asking for for so long."

"Regina and I can no longer deal with this issue," Adalricus said. "So, your mother and I came to the agreement that you can from now on. We cannot stand the Orphim and want no part in this, so you will take over from today onwards."