A/N: Now that we're going with ARC, I figure I should put up some of the 'lost chapters' not in the official release. It'll give you more detail on the timeline, insight to the Vertoak and other races, along with random funny-ass stuff that went down. This, by the way, will come in references and such within the official story. Please read, for either recreation or information. Thank you lots love you all and have a nice day! ;D

"And so the Blackblood Princess returns…" Rissara muttered distastefully, eying me with her obsidian gaze. Father said nothing, instead choosing to look upon me from the height of his dais. I had thought father would allow me to meet in private but given what happened, it was hoping for too much. No one I knew but my closest companions such as Vetrali or Adel felt comfortable when alone with me.

"We had thought you and your blood-kin died, princess." A Judge Magister said quietly, only offering a bow of the head in greeting. At least the Magisters knew part of what happened. Other murmurs ran through the onlookers as well, adding pressure to the atmosphere.

I bowed in respect, ignoring the knots in my stomach. Shepard would've been able to stand this better than I, surely. Being alone made everything harder. My siblings were kneeling down behind me in respect, keeping silent. Liara was allowed to stand by them but she knew better than to speak. Even if she didn't it was obvious this wasn't a social gathering.

As the eldest, it was my duty to stand 'welcome'.

"I had assumed you died on the control station my corrupted daughter. After all, it was you who destroyed those relays and pulled us into this new reality. Tell me: how are you standing here?" father finally said, grinding my nerves down with his unfeeling voice. It was too much to ask of me. I was still licking my wounds from that damned vortex a week before. Not all of them were of the flesh.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Vetrali walk into the room and stop dead at seeing me. I'd never mistake her green hair, even after so long. I was internally happy she was still alive but it wasn't the time or place for reunions. Happy ones, anyway.

"I was found in a ruin of our creation by a human- a species you don't know of yet. She took me in, and soon, my siblings. After we destroyed a Reaper that attacked the Citadel, a vortex sucked us through to a remote planet on the edge of our galaxy. Obviously, Adel soon found us." Whispers washed through the chamber at the news of Sovereign. Father sat back down in his throne and drew his brows together as a frown scrunched his features.

"And so it begins…" he muttered, before looking back to me. "Tell me more."

"From what I have gathered, much time has passed- relative to our original timeline. Nazara was acting as a vanguard to the Reaper forces. By manipulating the Citadel as their core power the Reapers would be able to…"

…

"I see." Father grunted. "It seems our old enemies lack ability to stop even themselves now."

"Yes father." I agreed. He thought for a few moments, regarding Liara with narrowed eyes and making her uncomfortable. Even if she was behind me I knew she would be, given she was shy and ever since meeting with more Vertoak she'd been out of her element. More than usual. She wasn't the only one, either. Gods, I wished I was still with Shepard…

"We will have to stop them from killing any more innocents. It is our first mistake that led to their creation and I will see it undone." He began, turning his eyes back to me. "For now I will have your brothers and sister confined to their quarters. The 'asari' is to enlighten me further." As he spoke, the Magisters of the Court walked up and pulled my brothers from their kneeling positions. A third went for Jasin but she gripped his forearm and threw him to the ground. I turned back just in time to see her pull Liara close behind her, letting her go next to me as she kept walking. Father stood, his eyes already shining with the stirrings of anger.

"What are you-?"

"I invoke the rite of Xotal!" Jasin almost shouted. She knew what father would do to Liara if anything were to go wrong and she would have none of it. But the rite of Xotal was something to do only in life or death situations. It could be counted as a breaking of the law to use it for anything less.

"What is your purpose with the rite? You have no title to stake it upon!" the Judge Magister stated, slamming his staff into the ground.

"I will not have harm come to Liara, nor will I allow her to be interrogated, father!" Jasin snapped. "She is my vensca'al, father!"

"Do not claim that which is not yours!" he suddenly roared, making me flinch. "The rite of Xotal may allow you to protect her but do not believe I will ignore your disregard for our traditions!"

I stepped forward and gripped Jasin's shoulder to stop her from speaking further. They both snapped their gazes to me and I pushed Jasin back to Liara. There was no need for anyone to fight when I could stop it. Shepard would do the same, I think.

"Then allow me to take the punishment." I stated.

"What business do you have to take it?" father demanded.

"Liara has told me everything she knows and Jasin truly believes she is the vensca'al. If you take me I can give you more information and you'll be able to keep my-… my corruption… in check." I explained quietly.

He stared hard down at me for what felt like an eternity. My heart beat against my chest and I wanted to heave from the strain on my body but I held it in behind my blank mask. There was no reason to break down in a pile of tears at that moment. It wouldn't help anything.

"If that is what you wish." Father finally relented. My brothers had to be dragged out of the court and Jasin kept Liara close to her as they were escorted away. I didn't meet their eyes, nor did I react at their arguments. I knew father would've confined me eventually, so why not let it be of my own will?

Maybe the Solinium exposure would help me in other ways, as well. I still needed to begin training myself to change and control the Corruption; Solinium was known for helping with that. Most of the time.

So I didn't fight when I was taken to the chambers.

…

"But she did nothing to fight you!" Adel finally snapped, her ire growing at her uncle's disregard for his own daughter. The only cousin she had that stayed by her side even in the darkest of times, and she was in the bowels of a prison.

"You forget what she did to give me this scar." He replied, pressing a hand over his heart.

"That wasn't her fault. She's been alone all this time, allowing you to do what you will to her without a word of challenge. I know this may not be my place but I will volunteer myself for the prison if you will not release her." she stated. Her glare lacked anything but the truth and the court knew it.

"Why would you protect her?" he demanded, glaring right back.

"Why would you not?" she snapped, letting go of her formal position. "She thinks of herself as a monster and you do nothing to stop it! You never asked her what happened to make her take in the Gavaek'Jaggx nor did you care to see what destruction you have caused to her heart!"

"I have done nothing of the sort!" he roared, standing.

"You have done only torture to her! You treat her as if she is the Corruption itself! Do you not understand what you have done to her?! You act as our benevolent ruler, even without our beloved Empress to support you and her children, caring nothing for the darkness you bring to that throne! You know what will happen in less than a year and yet you still act as if the only thing you want to do is hurt those close to you!" she wasn't holding herself back anymore. He had to know what he was doing.

"I will not allow her to hurt anyone!"

"And yet you hurt them and her just as much! Have you not taken the time to be the father you used to be? I know you would never have done anything remotely close to this before Empress Terestia died! You would have given your life to keep it from occurring! Look at what you have done!" she continued, holding out her arm as a hologram of Raega faded into view, large enough for everyone to see.

Her head was hanging limp as her arms were held out at her sides, embedded in the translucent Solinium. Her legs were also trapped together in the material, unable to be moved. Blood stained her exposed torso in several places, only half of them dried.

"She let you do this with no fight." Adel stated, her voice quieter. She saw the look in the Emperor's eyes and recognized it as pain. "All I ask is that you let me take her."

A/N: I'll add more to this chapter later but I need to get going with a few more right now. Forgive me please. And I only wrote this as the first chapter because it was the beginning and before those months of hell happened. So let's see just what kind of hell it was…