I See Fire – Jasmine Thompson

Inferno's Daughter

Flames licked and crackled as the groan of steel echoed through the dark night. One by one, walls collapsed and crumbled into ash and dust. It was a picture of despair and desolation, there was no victory here, even though history books would say they had won.

"Come on! We have to go!" The words of her teammates bounced off of her ears, urging her to leave the place. There was nothing left for them here.

Yet, she could not move. He was still inside, a voice inside of her screamed, she had to save him. She had to get to him, but there was no point. He had been gunned down hours ago, in cold blood. They had been betrayed by one of their own, and her love had been killed because of it.

"You can't stay here!" It was the voice of her brother; he had a hold of her arm and was her pulling away. No, she thought, I can still save him. Why wouldn't he let her save him?

All this power….and she could not save him.


One year later…

New York was a quiet place to live; at least that's what she liked to think. It was a far cry from where she had lived before, but she did not wish to think of such a place. This was her home now, as she had adamantly decided. The past was in the past, and there it would stay.

The sun had gone down some time ago and she knew she should be hurrying home, but felt herself meandering through Central Park. Nights like these were common, leaving her to wander aimlessly through the city streets. Sometimes she would go so lost in the memories that she would forget where she was and end in up the most unlikely places. One night she had found herself standing of the roof the empire state building, simply taking in the view.

Letting out a sigh, she stopped at a park bench and sat down. Her hair rustled in the wind as the temperature dropped, as it was fall. Snow was coming soon, she mused, and she could always sense the change of the seasons. She could sense many things.

There were voices approaching her, laced with ill intent and malice. She did not wish to fight tonight. She did not wish to fight ever, because she had left that life behind.

"She's pretty."

"Think she'll come willingly?"

"If she doesn't…we can persuade her."

Closing her eyes briefly, she stood up and looked in the direction of her would-be attackers. They froze when she made eye contact with them. She was so tired. Maybe she should just let the end come. She would hail them as her deliverers, as they would be doing her a huge favor.

"Well?" She asked and beckoned them to come and get her. They grinned wickedly and moved swiftly toward her. One reached out and grabbed her arm; she could smell the alcohol on his breath. It made her stomach churn but she did not resist, "Do what you wish."

Resigning herself to her fate, she let her eyes close once more and waited. Yet, the blow never came. The grip on her arm disappeared and she frowned. She did not expect them to have mercy on her. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see the men lying on the ground, all of them were unconscious.

"Do you have a death wish?" Her heart shuddered at the voice. It sounded so much like his, authoritative but always laced with care and concern, "Those are Purple Dragons. Do you know what they'd do to you?"

"Did you stop to think that maybe I wanted them to have their way with me?" Where the defiance had come, she did not know, but something about this man made her blood warm slightly. She wanted to see his face, hope flickering slightly in her soul, but he stayed hidden.

"Why? Why would you want that?" Where was he? She was much too out of practice. She could sense his presence, it was strong. He was a leader. Yet, she could not find him.

She smiled sadly, "People become desperate when they have nothing else to live for." It had been silly notion to consider, letting the men attack her. But it was a high crime to end one's own life where she was from. It did not matter that she New York home now. She would stick to her traditions.

"Where do you live? I'll make sure you get home safely." She shook her head.

"I have no place to live, actually. I come and go as I please; the last thing I worry about is where I will lay my head." As she spoke, though, the tiredness began to seep deeper into her bones. She had not slept in weeks and it was beginning to wear her down.

There was silence and she wondered if her savior had given up, until she heard footsteps. Slowly, she turned to see a figure standing in the shadows. They were tall, she could see, and had broad muscles. But there was something else, a deformity?

"If you promise not to run away, I know a place where you can stay for a while." He sounded hesitant and she nodded in response.

Slowly, he stepped out of the shadows and she felt a small gasp escaping her lips. She did not know why his appearance surprised her so, as she had seen many things in her lifetime. Smiling, she offered her hand in greeting.

"Thank you," His eyes widened in surprise as he took her hand and shook it, "My name is Rhiannon."

"Leonardo."


To say that he was nervous was an understatement, as he knew his brothers did not plan for him to come home with a human girl. He had not been expecting such a strange encounter on his solo training run, but he happened to be in the right place at the right time. She was not like most women he and his brothers rescued, the obvious reason being that she wanted to be attacked.

She was suicidal, he had realized, and he wanted to know why.

When she confessed that she no home, the most obvious solution was to bring her back to the lair, but he was unsure. His fear of what she would do next to fulfill her desire to die drove him to ask her to come back with him. Surprisingly enough, she not only did not scream and flee at the sight of him, but she agreed to come back to the lair with him.

The walk there was spent briefing her on each of his brothers and Master Splinter. She listened intently but spoke little and he found himself stopping just outside of the entrance to ask if she was sure about this.

"I do nothing that I am not sure of, Leonardo."

Taking that as a yes, they entered into the lair where Leo called for his family to gather. As he expected, they were shocked to see a human in the lair that was not Casey or April. She was swift to introduce herself, with Mike and Don taking to her immediately. Raphael was wary, as Leo expected him to be but he was most nervous about what Splinter would say.

"She had no place to stay and she has little regard for her life. I couldn't leave her to die." He conceded when his father gave him a pointed look.

"We will prepare a room for her then."

Leo silently thanked his sensei as he continued to watch Rhiannon. There was more that intrigued him to her than her self-destructive tendencies. Green hair, fiery red hair, ivory skin…she looked otherworldly and he questioned more than once if she was even human. She had barely flinched upon seeing him, as though it were normal for her.

Raphael and Donatello joined him as Mikey showed her to the room she would be staying in.

"She's…different." Donatello observed and he looked at his brother in concern, "I heard what you said to Splinter," he paused, "We'll take turns watching her."

"As long as I don't have first watch," Raph frowned, "I hope you know what you're doing Fearless."

I hope so too, Leo thought to himself.


A day soon turned into three which turned into a week which turned into two and a half months. Rhiannon had found herself changing from houseguest to a normal part of the guys' everyday lives. They reminded her so much of the young princes she had entertained when their parents were at court, she relished every moment spent with them. They had begun to make her feel alive again.

"Hey Mikey, what's for dinner?" She heard Raphael ask as he finished his training session in the dojo. He looked particularly tired and she knew that only came from a sparring session with Leonardo.

"You'll have to ask Rhi, she's the one cooking tonight." What he didn't say was that he had begged her to cook after she had taken care of the boys for a few days when they were all injured from a brutal fight with Purple Dragons. She had made a soup that her mother made when she was ill, and though she did not have all the ingredients, it had turned out well enough.

"Please tell me you're making that soup again," Raphael approached her and nodded, a small smile forming, "You're the best."

"I'm not sure where any of you would be without me around." She joked and it elicited a chuckle from the normally stoic turtle.

"We'd be eating scrambled eggs and pizza every day and night." She couldn't help herself as she laughed. It felt so good and she briefly forgot why she hadn't laughed in such a long time.

Once the soup was done, she called her guys to the table. They ate as though it were their last meal while she and Splinter drank tea and watched in amusement. Once they were finished, they protested against Rhiannon doing the dishes but she would not let them clean as she saw it as repayment for their hospitality. Knowing that it was no use in arguing with her, the boys geared up for their nightly run.

As she washed the dishes, she could hear the voices of Splinter and Leonardo. She knew she could eavesdrop on their conversation easily but chose not to, as she had come to respect the guys and their father.

She was putting away the last of the dishes when she felt the presence of the eldest turtle, "You did not join your brothers?"

"Splinter wanted me to do some one-on-one training. I will join them another night."

There was a clatter as Rhiannon cut herself on a knife. In an instant, Leonardo had her hand in his and was reached for a napkin to stop the bleeding.

"Oh, I am so foolish," She laughed softly, "Oh Jacob, what would you say if you could me now? I've faced down death itself but am done in by a kitchen utensil."

The sound of his name on her lips brought back the memories she had fought down for so long. Jacob, she thought, she had been unable to save him. She had been unable to save the man she loved. Tears burned the back of her eyes as she jerked away from Leonardo's touch and cradled her hand.

"Rhiannon…" Leonardo whispered, "It's okay…"

"It's not okay! It's not! They wouldn't even let me save him! My own husband and they made me leave him there. I couldn't save him, Leo. He was dead before I got there, I didn't even get a chance to save him." She was sobbing now, tears falling freely. She had never cried. Her mother had told her that crying was a sign of weakness, and a queen must not be weak.

Leonardo's hand was soft as he wiped the tears from her cheek and shushed her. There was no judgment in his eyes and she felt so much at home with him. After a few more moments, her weeping began to diminish, but instead of feeling empty, she felt relieved.

"Leo…" She whispered, "Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"If you say no, then that's okay…but do you mind holding me?" Her question hung in the air as Leonardo's eyes widened much like the first time they had met. Then he slowly approached her, but he did not simply wrap his arms around her. He scooped her up and carried her over to the couch, where he sat down and cradled her. Fresh tears flowed as she buried her face in the crook of his neck and let it all out.

Hours later, she had succumbed to slumber, silently thanking her friend for his comfort.


When his brothers returned that night, Leo offered no explanation for the sleeping girl in his arms. It was her story to tell, he decided, even though curiosity was eating at him. Jacob…Rhiannon had been married at one point, but she looked so young. And now she was a widow? What had happened to her husband? And why couldn't she save him?


A week after her breakdown, Rhiannon knew that she would eventually either have to tell the turtles about her past or she would have to move on. Neither option favored well with her but she had come to love the guys and did not like the idea of leaving them.

It seemed, however, that her choice would be made for her.

Michelangelo had been kidnapped, his brothers returning to alert their father and prepare a plan to rescue the youngest turtle. He didn't have much time, based off of what they were telling Splinter and they would need all the help they could get.

"I'll go with you," She announced and was met with immediate disapproval. Sighing, she walked over to the weapons rack and picked up a bo staff, "Raphael, attack me."

"What? Are you insane? No!" He refused and Rhiannon smirked.

"Afraid you'll get your shell handed to you by a girl?" She taunted as she spun the staff expertly, "Now, attack!"

Effectively getting under his skin, Raphael let out a battle cry as he rushed at her. Closing her eyes, she recalled the decades of training her mother poured into her. In a swift and sweeping motion, she took Raphael's feet from under him. He hit the ground with a crash and she opened her eyes.

"Rhiannon will obviously be an asset, she should go with us." Donatello reasoned and they all looked to Leonardo for the final decision.

"She's obviously leaving us no choice," the eldest smirked, "Let's go!"

It was a rush to be in battle again, and Rhiannon found that she had missed it even though it only brought sad memories. Leonardo was an effective leader in the heat of conflict and she thought of her brother. He had always led them well.

She could feel Michelangelo's spirit as they fought their way deeper into the facility where he was being held, but there were too many enemies. Knowing that the others would tire before reaching their objective, Rhiannon called out to Leonardo. He fought vehemently against leaving her on her own, but she promised that she would be okay. Michelangelo was more important, and she more than capable of handling things on her own.

Reluctantly, the guys disappeared down a corridor that led to Michelangelo, leaving Rhiannon and the army of robots. A wicked grin broke out onto her face as she focused her energy. It had been so long since she called onto her family's inheritance but the power was her birthright. She could not deny it any longer.

For a brief moment everything seemed to freeze in place before a pillar of fire erupted from the floor and surrounded Rhiannon. Mumbling words in an unknown language, she quickly dispatched the enemies with the flames as they swirled and danced around her. Once the last robot fell, she let herself calm and the flames dissipated.

"Whoa…" She turned to see the guys standing with Michelangelo. Their eyes were wide and she knew they had witness her power.

"Well…it looks like I've got some explaining to do."

They were silent all the way back to the lair where they set Michelangelo on the couch so that he could regain his strength. Sitting on the floor beside the couch, she beckoned for the guys to join her. Splinter stood afar off but she knew he could hear her.

"So…you have fire powers?" Michelangelo asked, his voice was weak but filled with awe, "That's so cool!"

"It's not just fire, but all the elements. If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm not from here. My home is a world called Avalon, well I consider the lair my home now but Avalon is where I was born and raised. I come from an ancient race known as the Aeterna, that's Latin for eternal, which means that I'm immortal, though only a few families on Avalon can claim this. Everyone else just lives for a very long time."

"No way!" Raphael quickly shut his brother up to keep him from interrupting.

"That power you saw was what we call the Inheritance, only one family has the Inheritance and that's the royal family. I've spent years training to master it as I had been preparing to take the throne as Queen, but then we were betrayed. There are many who believe those who have the Inheritance are tyrants, and some sought to overthrow us. The one I thought was my best friend led the rebellion. She killed my husband and sought to kill me, but we stopped her. As far as I know there is peace but I have not been there to see it. I no longer wish to be Queen."

"From what you're telling us, it's your duty to go back and be Queen." Donatello pointed out, "Nothing should stop you from fulfilling your duty."

"I can't go back; to face all of them…it hurts too much." She whispered, sadness washing over her with the slightest tinges of regret beginning to form. Should she go back?

"You're not better off here, bottling everything up. Rhi, you have to go back. The only way you will heal is if you go back and face everything you've been running from." Of course Leonardo would be the voice of reason.

"It'll just remind me that I'm alone, that Jacob is gone and he was all I had."

"Then we'll go with you." Raphael grinned and Rhiannon looked at each of them. No one was disagreeing; they were all willing to help her face what she had been running from for so long.

"Your Majesty," Splinter interjected, "I believe your kingdom waits."

"You guys…" Rhiannon smiled as she pulled them in for a group hug. They had changed her life so much, they had helped her heal and now they would help her to be made whole again.

"So I know it's rude to ask a lady her age but how old are you?"

"Mikey!"

"Ouch!"


Leo leaned against the wall of the dojo, his bag at his feet. They were returning Rhiannon to her home world; something she was had become more and more excited about. She had begun to tell them about her family and friends, and all the places she would have to show them. He knew he should be happy but he wasn't.

"Something troubles you, my son?" Splinter was holding his own bag as they waited for Rhiannon to open the gateway.

"You always knew, didn't you?" Leo asked, his father always had the ability to pick up on otherworldly traits in people.

"I knew she was different, but it was for her to express. She trusts us now. But that is not what troubles you." Splinter paused, "Leonardo, you do not wish for her to leave."

It wasn't a question.

"She's fulfilling her duty, sensei. I cannot ask her to turn her back on her people." The very thought killed him on the inside, but he had to let her go.

"Do not let the opportunity to tell her how you feel pass you by, my son. You might be surprised."

Rhiannon was practically bouncing as they all gathered in the middle of the lair. Once they were ready, Rhiannon closed her eyes and focused her energies. The unknown language tumbled off of her lips as the elements combined to create a bright light. This light pooled and turned into a large doorway. Opening her eyes, she offered a reassuring smile before stepping through.

The sun shone brightly as she crossed over the threshold and stepped into the palace garden. Behind her, she could hear the guys as they took in their new surroundings.

"Rhiannon!" She heard from a distance and she lit up at the familiar voice.

"Aaron!" Her brother bounded across the garden and swept his sister up into his arms.

"We've missed you! Please tell me you're not leaving again." She shook her head, "Great! You know what this means? We must celebrate!"

"I agree, we must but I need to see Mother. She's normally here this time of day, where is she?" The expression on her brother's face darkened.

"Mother has fallen ill; she has been in this state since you departed. Physicians can do nothing for her and we fear that she will pass on soon. She has been suffering from a broken heart." Guilt formed in Rhiannon's gut and she hurried off towards the palace. She needed to see her mother.

"Wait, I thought the Aeterna didn't die." Raphael inquired and Aaron finally turned to face them, taking them in. His sister must have regarded them well to have brought them along.

"Once an Aeterna decides that they no longer wish to be immortal, they may bless another with their immortality and pass on. Their soul ascends to the heavens, it is an honorable death."

Inside the palace, Rhiannon ignored the shouts of the guards as everyone marveled at her return. Rushing down the halls and corridors, she reached her destination. Pulling open the large doors, she stepped into a large and ornate atrium. There was a low growl as dragon raised its head to examine her.

"Easy, Titus, it's me." Reaching out, she placed a hand on the beast's snout and rubbed it, "Where is Iolanthe?"

The dragon turned its head in the direction of a large waterfall. Rhiannon thanked the creature as she walked through the indoor garden until she reached a pool. Sitting in the middle of the pool was a blond woman. Beautiful did not begin to describe her as the water flowed around her and she seemed to not get wet. Her blue eyes were half-lidded as she hummed an old song from thousands of years ago.

"Mother," Rhiannon bowed, "I have returned."

"If I am delirious and have begun to hallucinate, please fetch my son. Surely he has found someone worthy of the gift."

"No mother, it is me. You are not hallucinating." She was hesitant, her mother's temper was legendary and she did not wish you incur the woman's wrath. She kept her head bowed low as she heard the disturbance of the water. A hand placed itself on her face and her head was lifted until her green eyes met her mother's fierce blue ones.

"Welcome home, daughter."


When Aaron had proclaimed a celebration, Leo did not expect that it would happen that very night but he and his brothers found themselves being whisked away by servants to be prepared for the event. Hours later they were dressed in silk kimonos and were ushered to the ballroom. No one regarded their appearance as strange, but welcomed it and thanked them for returning the princess to her home.

"These people sure know how to throw a party. And have you tried the food? No wonder Rhi is such a great cook!" Michelangelo was gushing as he filled a plate with food and desserts.

As though saying her name could summon her, there was a fanfare as the people parted to let the Queen and her children enter.

"That's Rhiannon's mom? Whoa." Leo smirked and told Raph and Donnie to pick their jaws up off the floor only for his to drop when Rhiannon walked into the room.

She wore a floor length champagne gown that fit her figure perfectly. Her red hair was styled into a curly updo and she had minimal jewelry and make up. She was breathtaking.

"Hey Leo, pick your jaw up off the floor." Raph smirked.

When she saw them, she quickly made her way over to them. Mikey greeted her first and they talked about her outfit and the food as music began to play. When she heard it, Rhiannon groaned as she stuck another pastry in her mouth.

"I really don't want to dance with anyone," She pouted but Leo could see several men making their way towards her.

"Dance with me, then. It'll keep you from being available." He didn't know where the forwardness had come from but when she had gladly accepted his offer, he did not question it.

He led Rhiannon to where others were dancing. Placing a careful hand on her waist, he led her in a slow waltz.

"Well, I never knew a ninja could dance so well." She laughed as they fell in perfect sync with the music.

"April insisted we all learn for her and Casey's wedding," Leo remarked, "I didn't think it would ever come in handy again, though."

"Well it has, thank you Leonardo." Her eyes were soft as they met his and Leo knew that this was the perfect moment. He knew he could never ask her to give up her duty, but he could at least tell her how he felt.

"Rhiannon…there's something I need to tell you." He did not get the chance to go further as there were shouts and screams followed by the sound of glass breaking. They broke apart as men dressed in black robes entered into the ballrooms. Instinctively, Leo stood in front of Rhiannon. His brothers joined them as the men parted and woman in black armor entered the ballroom.

"It seems I have interrupted quite the celebration," She sneered, "But I also wanted to welcome the princess back home. Done hiding, Rhiannon?"

"It's your majesty to you. Rhi, who is this chick?" Raph snarled.

"She is the one I told you about. The leader of the rebellion, Guinevere." Leo could hear the strain in her voice. This was more than just the leader of the rebellion; this was the one who had murdered Rhiannon's husband.

"She has a lot of nerve, showing up here, what do we do?"

"Rhiannon?"


It was as though she was looking at Jacob's corpse all over again. When she had found him, Guinevere had been in tears but it was only an act. The girl that Rhiannon had grown up with, played with, and shared secrets with had betrayed her in the worst way.

Now, here she was and Rhiannon knew she had to make a choice. Her people were watching her and it was up to her to put down the rebellion once and for all. She had the people's best interests at heart, not they. She would strive to be a benevolent and kind Queen, while they simple thirsted for power. Her Inheritance was not a weapon, but she would use to make peace.

And making peace sometimes meant that you had to fight.

"Donatello, Michelangelo…help my brother to clear the ballroom. Raphael, I give you permission to lead my guard against her followers. If you must kill, so be it, but I'd rather they stand trial for their crimes. Leonardo, stay by my side, I ask that you be my armor bearer," She smiled, "You guys have been a great help to me. I trust in you."

She did not take her eyes off of Guinevere as each turtle fulfilled their duty. The crowd dwindled as Michelangelo, Donatello, and Aaron ushered them through several exits. Upon seeing the fleeing crowd, Guinevere's followers moved to attack but were met by the guard and Raphael. Honoring her request, many of the rebels were taken alive. Upon seeing her followers being taken, Guinevere began to back out of the ballroom, but Rhiannon wasn't letting her go anywhere.

"Leonardo, please stand back." Once he was a safe distance, Rhiannon focused her energy and called on the four elements. Combining them together once more, she was engulfed in a bright light that consumed her before dispersing, leaving behind armor in place of her gown.

Her armor glowed with the return of her full power as her eyes met Guinevere's. She had not been able to bury her husband, but she would find her closure in burying his murderer. Pulling her sword from its sheath, she was resolute in what she needed to do. With a roar, she rushed towards Guinevere. They met in a fierce clash of blades before breaking apart.

"My, my…it seems your spunk has returned. Saddening, really, as I had relished in seeing you broken after I killed your beloved Jacob," Guinevere sneered, "Do you wish to know how he begged me to spare his life?"

"Shut up!" Rhiannon sent a powerful blast of fire which Guinevere was barely able to dodge. They had trained together but Rhiannon had been alive much longer than her former companion. She had much more knowledge and experience, "You ungrateful wretch, we gave you a home and family. And this is how you repay us?!"

She parried against a blow and her sword met Guinevere's in another violent crash.

"I was simply biding my time, waiting until the perfect moment to betray you and your perfect little family. The reign of the Aeterna is coming to an end, and their power shall belong to me!" She pushed back violently and Rhiannon briefly lost her footing. This gave Guinevere enough time to disarm her and raise a gun to her chest, "Now, you can be together with Jacob. It's what you've been longing for, right?"

"No!" A flash of green barreled into them and Guinevere grunted as Leonardo knocked her to the ground. The gun clattered as it slid across the ballroom floor, "Rhiannon!"

Rhiannon's eyes caught the swords as they sailed through the air. Running she jumped and grabbed them before landing perfectly on her feet. Guinevere groaned as she stood back up to her feet. Her sword slid towards her and she looked up in surprise as Rhiannon stood before her, wielding katana.

"Get up, and we'll finish this." The resolve in her voice sent a spike of fear through Guinevere. She had been foolish, to think that she had won, "Get up, Guinevere!"

Their swords met once again but Rhiannon knew her opponent was severely outmatched. She would see Jacob again one day, but today was not that day. Flames formed around her as she met Guinevere blow for blow, wearing her opponent down through sheer ferocity. She would not lose here, not when she would become Queen. A Queen did not accept defeat.

Electricity crackled in the air as delivered one last blow, disarming Guinevere. The rebel took a step backwards as fear clouded her features as she stumbled onto the ground, "Please, your majesty, have mercy on me."

"Is that how Jacob begged? And yet you had no mercy on him." The flames grew brighter and stronger as she approached her fallen friend, "Why should I have mercy on you?"

Reaching down, she picked Guinevere up by the collar of her robe. Holding her up, she bid the flames to eat the woman alive.

"Rhiannon! Stop!" Jacob? Immediately the flames died down as she dropped Guinevere and turned to see…Leonardo, "If you kill her, you will be no better than her. She's not worth it, Rhi. She's not."

The katana clattered to the ground as members of the guard rushed forward to take Guinevere away. Rhiannon felt tears prick the back of her eyes as she slowly walked towards Leonardo. She did not have to ask as he silently wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to weep.

"It's okay," He whispered, "It's over."


Leo did not leave Rhiannon's side after that night. She had chosen not to attend the trials of the rebels, where many were sentenced to death, including Guinevere. On the day of her former friend's execution, Rhiannon walked through the castle in traditional mourning attire, much to the surprise of the people. However, Leo knew that she was grieving the loss of the girl that had once been her friend not the bloodthirsty killer she had become. It had been an honorable thing to do.

Today, she prepared for her coronation as Queen of Avalon. He and his brothers were honored guests as they and the people gathered in the throne room to wait for the ceremony to begin. As they had done the night of Rhiannon's ball, his brothers gushed over how beautiful her mother was as the current Queen entered the room.

Her beauty did not compare to that of her daughter's, Leo decided as Rhiannon entered behind her. Everyone stood as Rhiannon sat upon the throne where her mother placed her crown on her head and named her Queen. There were cheers as Rhiannon sat upon the throne and greeted her subjects. Leo managed to make eye contact with her and she gave him a bright smile.

As the celebrations moved from the palace and into the streets, Leo left his seat to make his way down to the throne. Rhiannon's eyes lit up when she saw him and she grinned, "Please don't call you me 'your majesty,' I beg of you."

Leo laughed and shook his head; she would always be Rhiannon to him. She did not fear him when they had first met and had turned to him as a source of comfort and reassurance. She trusted him and in return, he had fallen in love with her.

"We'll miss you around the lair, you know." His voice sounded strange, as though he were trying not to choke on something, "It just won't be the same."

"Leonardo," Rhiannon stood so that she could be level with him, though he was slightly taller, "I must tell you something and I ask that you not judge me until I have finished."

"Only if I can tell you something, and you can't judge me either." She smiled and nodded in agreement, "You first."

"Well, I wanted to thank you, for everything. You have been there since the beginning and I'm not sure where I would if you had not rescued me," She paused, "I have done the one thing I thought I would never do, Leonardo. I have betrayed Jacob, the one I thought I would always love. Part of me still loves him, but it is a small part of me. The rest of my heart has come to love another, and I hope you will forgive me for placing such a burden on your shoulders as I do not wish for you to part from me."

Leo blinked several times as he realized what she was saying. She…loved him.

"Rhi…I…I don't know what to say." New York had been his home for so long but if home was where one's heart was, his home was with Rhiannon, "When we came here, I knew that you would not be returning with us, and I could not bear the thought of it because I have fallen in love with you. I want to stay by your side."

Seeing Rhiannon's face light up made his heart skip a beat as she fell into his arms and he held her close. He did not want to let her go, ever.

"We must go speak with my mother, Leonardo." He looked at her confusion, "I am immortal, and you are not. Come, we must speak with her and your family as well."


Splinter had known his eldest son was in love for some time, but he had left it up to Leonardo to tell Rhiannon of his affections for her. Seeing them standing together, hand-in-hand, made him happy but he knew their love came at a great cost for Leonardo.

He always knew his children would outlive him but he did not expect one of them to never die, but as Leonardo bowed before the former Queen, he would be granted the ability to stay beside Rhiannon's side for eternity.

"I promise to visit as often as I can," He had told his brothers and though they were sad that he would not be returning home, their happiness for him outweighed their sadness.

"My son," He spoke as Leonardo waited for the blessing of immortality, "You have led your brothers well, and I sense no doubt in your heart but I must ask once more, are you sure?"

"I believed I was being selfish at first, father, but I have seen them over the past few years. They do not need me to lead them any longer. They have grown into great ninja who will lead others, I know it," He paused, "And I've never been surer of anything in my life."

Splinter smiled and looked at Rhiannon, "Take care of my son, your majesty."

"I will sensei."

Light swirled all around them as the Queen gave Leonardo the blessing of immortality, her breath filling him as she passed on, her soul becoming a white dove that flew out of the garden and towards the sun before disappearing.

Leonardo stood up and looked at them, "Well I don't feel any different." This made them all laugh and Rhiannon gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before looking at all of his brothers.

"Come on, the day is still young and I believe I owe all of you a tour through the city!"


Epilogue: 10 years later…

As Rhiannon departed from her court, she wondered where her personal guard had meandered off to. The sound of rain against the large palace windows told her that he could not possibly be outside. Looking around, she caught a flash of green walking towards the ballroom and she followed after it.

Silently, she moved through the corridor until she came to the doors of the grand ballroom. Pushing them open, she smiled at the sight of her guard waiting for her.

"What are you doing, Leonardo?" The answer came in the soft sounds of music lilting through the large room.

"We haven't had a moment together in the last few weeks. I figured I would make time." He offered his hand and she smiled softly as she took it. Sweeping her into a waltz, she held her husband's gaze as they danced all across the ballroom simply enjoying each other's company.

She loved him so, and it did not matter that they had forever to be together. What mattered were the little moments in their forever.

Those made all the difference.


-End-


A/N: So this literally took me a night and a day to write but I think it turned out pretty well. What was originally going to be a multi-chaptered fic, I decided to make a long oneshot since I'm already working on three other chaptered fics. This was inspired by Jasmine Thompson's cover of I See Fire, give it a listen. What further inspired this was the kitchen scene, which had been running through my head for quite some time and I needed to put it down on paper, thus Inferno's Daughter.

Alright, that's enough rambling. Tell me what you think! I'd appreciate feedback. I've already thought of some cute companion pieces for this but I'll only post them if this story gets a little love. Thanks for taking the time to read!

Playlist for Inferno's Daughter

I See Fire – Jasmine Thompson

Willow – Jasmine Thompson

Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri

Phoenix – Fall Out Boy

The Mighty Fall – Fall Out Boy

In My Arms – Plumb

All of Me – John Legend

Side note: For the ages, the guys are in their late 20s (26-27) and Rhiannon, though she looks to be the same age (about 25-26), is actually a few centuries old. This should clear up an confusion.