The night dawned like any other, save for one crucial difference. The heiress was in full-blown meltdown mode. Where was Eridan when she needed him, the Condesce would be there any minute now! Pacing back and forth along her bedroom floor, Feferi was running through all the different possibilities for how this night was going to go down. She knew, as she had for sweeps now, that she would not survive this night. Her Imperial Condescension was going to kill her, just as she had done to the countless heiresses that had come before her. She heard a tumult outside, above the water. The flagship was here. Her time had come. All at once her legs failed her, and she slumped to the floor. A realization struck her as she sat there, shaking.
She didn't want to die.
Forcing herself to her shaky feet, she slowly reached for her 2x3dent and headed for the door. She didn't want to die, but she was dam well going to make her death mean something. If she could just get some people to listen to her in that instant before she died… Then she could say she accomplished everything she had ever wanted to. Swimming up to the surface, she stepped onto the shore and began walking to the ship that loomed over everything. The crowd around her slowly began to quiet themselves as they saw the young troll walk right over to the Condesce, her head high. "Your )(ighness," Feferi began, kneeling before her for a moment before rising. "Welcome )(ome."
"Yes, it has been so long since I got to see our lovely home world," she replied airily, waving her hand at the girl. "I think our little date will have to be put off for a day or two, so that I may check up on the state of everything."
Feferi simply gave a nod of understanding. "But of course. Doubtless you will want to see our dear lusus, as well as the mot)(er grub?"
The Condesce waved her away again, her sharp-toothed smile glittering in the moonlight as she began speaking to the public at large. This left Feferi to crawl back into the ocean, returning to her home to crawl into her recuperacoon. What she found was something completely different. "Eridan!"
The male looked up and smiled. "Ah, Feferi. Wwelcome back. I wwas wwondering wwhere you had gone."
"T)(e Condesce is )(ere. I )(ad to go and greet )(er remember?"
"Ah, your right. I'm sorry. I should havve been there wwith you."
"It's alright, Eridan. You probably )(ad some business of your own to attend to. I understand."
Eridan looked down, but was silenced by a hug from the other. Slowly, he let his own arms encircle her, holding her close. "Fef… Are you sure you wwant to do this? Wwe can find a wway to get you off wworld, just like wwith Karkat and the others. You don't havve to fight."
"Yes I do, Eridan. T)(ank you for your concern, but I've known my w)(ole life t)(at this was going to be the end of t)(e road for me."
Gritting his teeth, all Eridan could do was nod. The next few nights were going to be hectic for the both of them. By the time the date for the fight arrived, Feferi had lost days worth of sleep, and Eridan had begun to disappear more and more frequently. She had started wondering if he had given up on seeing her because she always looked tired and terrified. And she had every right to be, as the date of her public execution loomed over her head, like she was staring straight at the gallows.
On the day in question, the Condesce had decided to make it a public spectacle, just as she had with the previous challengers. Feferi was waiting in the wings while the Condesce did her speech and was cheered for. Taking a breath, she waited for her cue and walked out into the arena. Looking around the people watching, she spotted some of her friends, each of whom gave her an encouraging nod. Letting her breath out, she rose to her full height, turning her eyes toward the Condesce.
Now trolls never truly stopped growing. Sure they had a growth spurt when they were wigglers, but the growth declined, never fully stopping. As The Condesce had been alive for sweeps longer than anyone around her, she towered over everyone. At nearly double Feferi's height, the young heiress had to crane her neck to look the other in the eye. Feferi hadn't seen Eridan in the audience. This was only to be expected. She should have known he wouldn't want to watch her die.
The fight began, with Feferi doing everything she could do to defend against the Condesce's powerful attacks. She had to hold out. She had to get her message across. Opening her mouth to speak, she was silenced by a loud bang that rang out. Feferi hadn't been quite sure what had happened, only that one second she had been staring down the trident of her elder, and the next, her elder's shoulder was blown clean off and Feferi was spattered with her blood.
A vent was kicked out and a figure leapt to the ground, firing off a few more shots to down the guards who were rushing in. As the figure rose to their feet, Feferi couldn't believe her eyes. "Eridan?! What are you doing, I-?"
"I promised you I'd protect you, didn't I?" The other's voice was low, soft, yet firm and… A little angry.
"I didn't imagine you meant killing the Condesce! W)(at were you t)(inking, Eridan?!"
From behind them, a sputtering cough was heard behind them as the Condesce sat up. "I'm not dead yet, you traitorous wigglers!"
Without another word, Eridan walked over to the woman, placing the barrel of Ahab's Crosshairs against her forehead, and firing. The Condesce was dead this time, for sure. "If I tell you I am going to protect you. I mean it. I wwill make sure nothing ever harms you. Including the former Condesce."
"But t)(is isn't )(ow t)(is was supposed to go," Feferi exclaimed, looking at her friend with a mixture of shock and fear. "You could get culled!"
"And? I havve fulfilled my promise. The Condesce is dead, and you are the only other wwith her blood. This leavves you to rule in her stead." More guards were coming, and Eridan didn't have enough ammo for all of them. "Good luck, Fef. Wwe wwill meet again, perhaps wwhen this has all blowwn ovver?"
And with that he was gone; leaving a dead Royal, a shocked crowd, and one, frightened, lonely little girl.