AN: I do not own the song used in this chapter. I only tweaked a few lines due to how well it fit (along with the dramatic irony it has). If you have not heard the song Hellfire, or want to know what I think it sounds like here, search up Annapantsu's cover. It's amazing.
"Oh Lapis... I'm so sorry..." She could hear Peridot whisper to her. "If I could turn back time I would have stopped this, told them that it was too dangerous."
Lapis slowly rose to her feet, her blue skirt had blood on it from where she had knelt. She lifted her hands, the bloodied river water rose up. "Purify..." She muttered, and within seconds it turned back to its original pure, almost blue look. The Witch brought one of her hands close to her skirt.
A small bubble of water broke off from the larger amount, which had started to wash the riverbanks. It floated up to Lapis and began to clean her off. "That's incredible." Said Peridot, awestruck. "How do you do that?"
"I'm half Witch, controlling water is my speciality." She explained, feeling the familiar tingle of power run down her spine with every drop she moved. She purified the water once more before gently setting it all back into the river, letting it flow peacefully once more. "Peridot... I want to go home..."
The blonde looked rightfully confused. "But... Isn't THIS your home?" She asked, her bright green eyes surveying the now clean river.
"Not anymore... I have a cave that I like to live in sometimes when my f-family b-bugs me..." She let out a soft whimper at the thought of her mother and step father, feeling tears prick up in her eyes once more.
Peridot gently hugged her, the blonde was only a tiny bit shorter than Lapis. "Shh, it's okay." She said, and rubbed the Siren's back. "I know what it's like to... To lose people."
"That's not even the half of it. The last thing we ever did was scream at each other over something so stupid... It was a dumb argument and I could've stopped it..." The bereaved woman spoke softly and allowed herself to relax into the human's embrace.
"I know I'm in no place to ask, but what happened?" Asked Peridot, before she quickly added. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to though, I won't mind."
Lapis' cheeks coloured slightly as she remembered the argument, she pulled away from the hug to tell her. "They... Well Sirens are often killed when they're young so... They wanted me to take on a mate a-and help repopulate." She explained, and while Peridot also blushed her eyes filled with guilt.
"But you're young. You ARE young right?"
"I'm 22 years old, I don't want a family right now."
Peridot nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "I was set to be married tomorrow, but I hate my fiance... I didn't even get a say in anything... Hell I even ran away from her." The human's voice was bitter. "She barely gave me time to grieve for my mother..."
Lapis tilted her head, her curiosity rising. After all, Peridot had mentioned losing people. "She um... Well she got really sick, and nobody could stop it..."
The Siren nodded and patted Peridot's back. "Come with me, you said you're running away, so come with me. My home is safe."
Peridot looked extremely confused, her eyes clouded with thought. "But you're a Siren... Isn't this your home?" She asked, and Lapis gave a sad smile.
"Not anymore. Besides, I've always had two. The river and the cave my father gave me, it has something inside that can heal my leg." She explained and pointed down to her ankle, which was still too painful to walk around on. "That and... I don't want to be alone..."
The human nodded, "It's okay, I'll come with you." She said gently. "I don't want to be alone either."
The two walked in silence as the sun started to set. Lapis cursed under her breath, she had somewhere to be tonight, she had a job from the Queen. Although the Witch had a feeling it would be postponed should the Princess still be sick. News travelled fast around the forest. Apparently Holly Blue, Queen Azura's adviser, had gone into the woods to ask Sapphire to help slow down Azul's sickness.
Every Supernatural person throughout every kingdom hoped and prayed to the gods that Azul was okay. She and her mother seemed to be the only powerful people who cared about non-human people. The only two people whose voices were listened to when it came to the subject of whether or not you should die for not being human.
POV SHIFT- Sapphire Avenir
She stood quietly with Ruby, looking at the delicate child that lay before them. Holly Blue had arrived at their house a while ago, begrudgingly asking for Sapphire's help. Sapphire was half Ice Spirit, and her magic was strong enough to slow down sickness in a person's body. The short woman raised her hands over the Princess.
If Azul was looking at her she wouldn't have known, her eyes were covered by her bangs and she had grown weak to the point over barely moving when she coughed. The poor thing looked so frail, her mother didn't need any more death or trauma surrounding her, it was bad enough as it was.
A soft blue light swirled from around her fingertips, slowly going around the young Princess. It was somewhat chilly, forming tiny flowers made of frost around her. It created a cold, translucent, icy blue barrier. "This will last for a while, about a few hours."
Holly looked annoyed. "A few hours? Shouldn't it be longer if you're so powerful?"
"Shouldn't you be more thankful considering I can preform this spell at all?" Sapphire snapped at her. The older woman huffed and turned away, clearly unhappy. Although Sapphire knew Holly wasn't just saying that because she cared about the Princess, in fact the Ice Spirit had the distinct feeling Holly Blue did not care much for Azul at all.
No, it was Azura that Holly Blue seemed to care about. It was easy to see the affection she had for the somber Queen, Sapphire herself was a little frightened of Azura. Though the common claim was that she was rather peaceful and kind she had a bit of a temper. A very childish temper that often led to her throwing a hissy-fit, which could easily hurt people around her, or even herself. It was rare, but Sapphire had heard of incidents where the young Queen could lose all control, as if another person had taken over.
The door to the room opened quickly, speaking of Azura, here she was! "Over here, please hurry." She begged to someone Sapphire couldn't quite see yet. Behind Azura was a young man looking rather startled, he carried the sweet scent of healing potions, which told Sapphire that he was either clumsy or a healer. Considering the situation it was probably the latter.
She moved over when he rushed to Azul's side, bumping into Ruby's side by accident. "Easy now, I've got you." Her wife murmured.
Azul started to cough as Sapphire took her spell away, she looked so pained, the way her daughter Garnet looked every time she saw a bad future. Sapphire wanted to hug the young child and tell her that she would be okay.
Azura knelt down and brushed the hair out of her daughter's face, showing her half-lidded dark blue, almost violet eyes. "Jason..." She whispered to him. "Please help her..."
The human nodded quickly. "I think I know what the problem is." He said, and when she turned to him he continued. "See, you said she is one quarter Water Nymph right? Well when a Water Nymph reaches a certain age they need to occasionally submerge themselves in clean water to stay healthy."
Sapphire cast a quick worried glance at Ruby, the kingdom had been going through a drought, it was no wonder that Azul hadn't gotten much water lately. "We can help your majesty!" Ruby called out quickly. "Sapphire can make lots of ice, a-and I could melt it!"
Azura nodded and let Azul drink from a small cup of water, it made her coughing stop for a little while. "Hurry please." She said without looking up at them. Sapphire and Ruby watched as a few servants ran out only to return a few moment later with a large empty bucket. It would be big enough for the small Princess to get into. Sapphire formed somewhat large pieces of ice between her hands, she would hold them over the bucket for Ruby to melt. Not one time during the process did Ruby burn her, she never had in all their lives.
Once Azul was placed into the water her eyes opened fully and she took a sharp, deep breath in. The Ice Spirit could tell just by sensing her temperature that her fever had also broken instantly, she was as healthy as she had been only a short while ago.
Jason smiled happily, and turned to start walking away. Azura seemed to notice and grabbed his hand, "Please don't go yet." She said with a wide smile before pulling him into a hug. "You saved my child's life, you deserve a reward. We'll be having a celebration tonight, I want you to join us." Said the Queen, her pale blue eyes filled with joy.
It took a few moments for him to nod shyly, it seemed he had never spoken with many women before. "It would... It would be an honour Queen Azura."
Sapphire grinned, it had been so long since there had been any sort of celebration, it would be refreshing. And perhaps she would get to see others preforming, such as Amethyst and her wife Pearl doing magic, Jasper and Carnelian showing their feats of strength, or perhaps Lapis would come and sing for everyone.
Either way, hope was starting to bloom.
POV SHIFT- Limone Diamond
She listened to the ringing of the bells at sacred gates around the palace, along with crackle of fire around her, peaceful and quiet just as she had ordered. Though her mother hated monsters (as did she) she had allowed the princess to keep Fire Spirits in case she wanted her chamber to be warmed. They sat in their cages, not making a peep as embers swirled around them. They could tell simply by the blonde princess' soft smile that she only wanted a little bit of fire.
The eastern lands her mother ruled over were useful. They were filled with monsters that could easily be used, such as Fire Spirits for heating and cooking, Werewolves that had red fur that could make a lovely rug, and at the occasional pond one might find a tiny group of Water Nymphs that you could make into a servant. Not rich in resources though.
These lands came with a hidden gem however, for many people who lived here were gypsies. Her mother's old adviser Percival had married one, and from those two came her beautiful fiancee. She had first spotted the blonde only a few years ago, dancing outside the palace with her mother.
Limone had been stunned. Such grace and power in those controlled yet liberated movements, and apparently she had only just started learning. Peridot did not look much like her mother, though they had the same green eyes Peridot's skin was a bit paler, and her hair was gold to her mother's dirty blonde.
After seeing the half gypsy dance for the first time the princess had run to her mother and demanded to marry her. The Queen had agreed to it before giving the news to Percival and Nora that their daughter would be married to Limone as soon as she was old enough. Limone was only a year older than her, now that Peridot was 22 she was eligible. Limone had watched the little beauty dancing happily as she celebrated with her family, the last thing they would ever do together.
Percival and Nora had left on a trip soon after, as Percival had used an Oracle's eye to foresee that he would find a young woman born of two powerful creatures: A Wizard father, and a Siren Mother.
However, while apparently Percival had found the creature, it hadn't been alone. Its father had been around, and before Percival could study the hybrid it attacked him. Percival had bravely fought against the angered Wizard, going as far as to hit it with a poisoned arrow before dying of his wounds shortly after. Nora had fled in a panic, once she had gotten back to the palace she had collapsed screaming about a horrific monster, and of a noble Siren that could seek vengeance.
Nora Aurum had gone insane, and Queen Yella had mercifully given her water. Laced with poison.
She had died shortly after, with sweet Peridot sobbing by her side begging her not to go. Nobody knew about the poison, not even Nora had known about it.
Tomorrow Limone would be marrying the half gypsy, her smile growing at the thought. The flames around her burned brighter but she wasn't scared. The room she was in was made of stone, and she was at a safe distance. Nothing would catch fire. The Fire Spirits started to sing softly, prayers to the gods above them. But Limone only really liked one goddess, Maria. Goddess of light, life, and intelligence.
"Oh my dear Maria, you know I'm born of righteous men, and of my virtue I am justly proud." Limone sang softly as she looked out the window at the quiet village below, remembering her fiance entertaining a large crowd.
She hated the villagers. "Oh my dear Maria, you know I'm so much purer than... The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd!" She kept singing as her fingernails scratched into the grey stone. "Then tell me, Maria! Why I see her dancing there, why her smoldering eyes still scorch my soul!"
The blonde turned around and a bright glow filled the room, the Fire Spirits had created an image of her fiance out of flames. So bright, so tantalizingly close but still untouchable. Limone reached out as if to put her hands on the illusion. "I feel her, I see her! The sun caught in her golden hair is blazing in me out of all control!"
"Like fire, hellfire, this fire in my skin... This burning desire... Is turning me to sin!" She sang loudly as the fire woman twirled around her, swaying her hips and lifting a hand to come so close to touching the princess' cheek.
"It's not my fault! I'm not to blame! It is the gypsy girl, the Witch who sent this flame!" She could feel heat swirl around her, embers flying through the air like angry stars. "It's not my fault! If the gods plan... Has made the devil so much stronger than humans!"
She tried to take a step back, but this illusion had the blonde entranced, she couldn't look away. "Protect me Maria! Don't let this Siren cast her spell, don't let her fire sear my flesh and bones!"
She glared at the image before her, it was teasing her with that wonderful smile, Peridot was a sinful woman who had sympathy for monsters, Limone was only trying to purify her. "Destroy my fiance! And let her taste the fires of hell! Or else let her be mine and mine alone!"
The fire faded as Limone was interrupted by a servant, a lowly filthy excuse for a human. "Princess Limone... Your fiance has escaped."
Limone's golden eyes widened. "What?"
"She's nowhere in within this palace... She's... Gone."
The princess now took a few steps back. "How?! Ugh, nevermind... Get out you idiot!" She roared. "I'll find her... I'll find her if I have to burn down EVERY FOREST!"
The image of Peridot reappeared, she had pressed herself against the wall, eyes filled with terror as the princess advanced on her. "Hellfire! Dark fire! Now gypsy it's your turn! Choose me or your pyre! Be mine or you will burn!" She lashed out to strike at the illusion, only to rear back when the palm of her hand had been slightly singed.
She stared at the dark mark and tears filled her eyes. "Gods have mercy on her..." Limone whispered and blinked the tears away. "Gods have mercy on me..." Her voice broke. She closed her burnt hand into a fist, ignoring the pain Peridot had caused.
"But she will be mine or she will BURN!"
