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Bo's POV

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"It took you longer than I thought." My eyes close, hands gripping the steel beams on either side as I lean forward into the nothingness tempting fate or rather gravity. Cold wind on my face a reminder I'm actually here, the rustle of the dozens of tarps keeping me on edge. Even with all of the distractions, I can feel her. Could feel her even as she was coming up the stairs.

"I couldn't get away."

I nod. "Ah."

"It didn't matter."

"It didn't matter I came back to life?" I almost laugh. Almost. My eyes opening, slight rush of fear jolting through me, grip tightening. The street below just a long black strip. "That's what every wife longs to hear."

"It didn't matter that I didn't come sooner." She grows closer, but still further away that I would have expected. "I felt you."

"Felt me?"

"The very moment your heart started. I felt you."

"Is that so?" More as a thought slipping out than anything I don't expect an answer as I step back into the building. Turning to face her. "I have a plan."

"We had a plan." She takes a single step forward, hands folded in front of herself. "We have a plan…mostly."

"No, Lauren you had a plan. Now I have a plan."

"Bo…"

"Do you trust me?" I ask, her eyes peering through me. A strong gust of wind shaking the tarp excuse for walls, both of us looking in union to the right. "Let me rephrase that, will you trust me?"

"I love you Bo."

"That isn't what I asked you." I take two steps closer to her.

"I know what you asked me."

Another two steps. "Then answer me."

"I'm," She trails off, hanging her head. "I'm so tired Bo."

"I know."

"I just," Voice breaking, she sighs as she looks up to meet my stare. "I just am so tired."

"I know." I nod, taking three more steps forward. "It's okay Lauren."

"It's not."

"It is." I assure her, hands cupping her cheeks as my thumbs gently brush away tears that have yet to fall. "It's okay Lauren, I promise."

"We…I just…"

"It's okay." One last time I assure her, leaning in as my forehead rests against hers. The anger I had been feeling toward her slipping away. My hands falling to the crook of her neck. "I can take it from here."

"It's my responsibility."

"Shh." My eyes closing, her hesitant hands resting on the small of my back. "I've got it now baby."

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Michael's POV

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"My prince." Tiye says, reminding me of a world other than this note. My eyes shifting from the paper to her and then back again.

And then back to her.

Little brain taking over for the big brain at the moment. Eyes glued to her with no intention of looking away. An Egyptian goddess who put Cleopatra's beauty to shame. Cleopatra was Egyptian right? Should have paid more attention in ancient history class. Her beautiful umber eyes. Look at my ass, beautiful woman and I suddenly remember shit like umber. Ria would be laughing her ass off if she could hear what I'm thinking.

Slight chuckle causing her brown to raise slightly, but she lowers her head to keep me from seeing. Her hands folded behind her back, feet pressed tightly together. She's so nervous. If only she knew I was the one shaking. I whisper her name unconsciously childishly liking the way it sounds. She looks up, eyes meeting mine and the top of her cheeks pinken ever so slightly. Those cheekbones…wow. I can't help smiling until I catch a glimpse of the paper in my hand.

"H-how old are you?"

"My aging ceased at twenty-three."

"But how old are you?"

"My prince," She bows her head, voice softening as though she said something wrong. "Sixty-three next month."

"Sixty-three?"

"I'm sorry to have offended my prince."

"Offended?" I set the paper down, sitting up straight suddenly feeling very much like a boy at his father's desk…or well, mother's desk. "Why would you say you offended me?"

"I appease you, but my age has put you off…I have offended."

"No. No." I shake my head, not quite grasping what's happening. Is this life outside the capital? Is this the level of devotion? Maybe Charlie was right to question somethings. Or maybe she just didn't understand it. "I'm not offended, just…saddened I guess."

"I made my prince sad?" She looks up once again, almost fearful.

"No, no…well kinda. Look I'm not good with words. You at twenty-three, MAYBE I got a shot. You at sixty-three, I got NO shot."

"You are my prince, if you wish it…"

"Whoa. Whoa." Dropping the letter on the desk, I wave my hands in front of me sillily gesturing to stop there. "I don't…I do…but I don't. I mean you're…whoa but I'm not that type of guy."

"Yes my prince." She bows her head.

"I'm really not."

"My prince, permission to ask a question without caution?"

"Yeah."

She looks up, eyes meeting mine again and my heart goes zero to a hundred. "What kind of guy are you then?"

"That's…a really good question."

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Bo's POV

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"Didn't hear any yelling. That's new for you two." Weakly she smiles, leaning up against a stack of drywall.

"Maturity…kinda boring."

"You can say that again." Napkin in her hand covered in traces of blood. "Is she on board?"

"She…she thinks it's crazy."

"Probably cause it is Bo-bo."

I just shrug, folding my arms over my chest leaning back against another beam. "Crazy works."

"Is she on board?"

"If she wasn't, would you still follow me?"

"The plan depends on her being on board."

"I'm not asking that."

"Your question doesn't make sense if…"

"Kenz," I snap unintentionally. "Would you?"

"Yes."

"You hesitated."

"I know." She nods, wiping a little blood from her lips. "That happens when you have to think about it."

"There was a time when you didn't have to."

"I know that."

"What happened to us Kenz…?"

"Life."

"You know through everything I kept pushing off trying to talk to you. Not because I didn't want to, I just couldn't make peace with it. I still can't. I just…me without you…just doesn't make sense." My eyes falling to the dusty floor. "But more and more it's become apparent that I'm running out of time. So I kept trying to think of this whole big emotional and epic speech that sums us up. This big epic…"

"Goodbye?"

I nod. "But I don't have one."

"Thank god. I hate those."

"Me too." I sort of laugh, sighing as I look over her face. All I can see is that tough little goth girl sitting across from me asking if I'm a vampire. The thought bringing a small smile to my face. "I don't have some epic goodbye Kenz, I wish I did. What I do have though is…."

"Bo."

"We're sisters. We're in each other's lives for good."

She snorts, rolling her eyes with that Kenz chuckle. "Hell, I couldn't even keep you out of my afterlife."

"I love you Kenzi." The feeling of tears lingering just beneath the surface causes me to stop for a moment. "Sometimes it's the only thing I've been completely sure about. All the good. All the bad. All of it…you've never stopped being my sister. You never stopped being my heart."

"And you said you couldn't do an epic goodbye."

"I lied."

I shrug with a teary laugh, earning one from her.

To the bottom we go Kenz…one last hoorah.

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Michael's POV

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"My prince, are you ready?" She asks from the door, her voice instantly recognizable.

I would smile at the sound, but my fingers run along the blade of the katana laying on the desk. Cold metal giving me a chill, goosebumps raising over my skin. I'm sure she can see them, my shirt already thrown off. Always love a chance to go shirtless back home, but now I feel…naked. In more ways than one I guess.

"A prince shouldn't admit to fear, huh?"

"Admitting to fear does not make you weak."

"My mother never admitted to fear."

"Your mother is a queen, she is…transcendent."

I turn my head to see her face. "My mother is really more than a queen to you?"

"To nearly every soul."

"I don't know if that makes me trust her judgment even more or less."

She nods. "My prince."

"Me and my siblings were always trained to be seen and not heard, sometimes seen was a bit much too." I smirk. "We got good at it. Me and Ria, skillset that made us pretty sneaky." With a laugh I nod. "Ever since I got that piece of paper I just keep thinking of this one moment. My mother didn't know I was there, just within earshot." My eyes drift back down to the katana. "Do you remember Bloody Sunday?"

"It's not to be spoken of."

"But you remember." I nod. "I was too young to understand. All I knew was some babies and moms died. When I got older I learned what it really was. Group of traitors spreading a hybrid version of the plague in the baby-ward of the hospital. They say the plague is a horrible way to go. I've never seen it in person. Have you?"

"Yes."

"Is it as bad as they say?"

"Worse…my prince."

"The only true way to kill it is by fire. The question I guess was to burn them alive or not."

"I'm sure her judgement was just."

"She saw me, comforted me the only way she knew and told me that without forgiveness you will never know peace of mind."

"Our queen is very wise."

"Those were my mother's words." Swallowing at the dryness in my throat at the memory, I turn to face her. "Our queen's words...let them burn." She just stares at me, expressionless and I don't know if that comforts me or not. I don't know what the point of my story was anyway. Just a memory in a long line of memories that mean something different the more I learn. My eyes locked with hers, my fingertips tapping the blade. Still time to change my mind I guess…whole meditational ceremony awaiting I guess. "Craziest shit is, that letter? Was from my mom, so I don't know even know what I keep thinking of that."

"The soul and the heart are mysterious creatures."

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Bo's POV

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I can't remember how many times I've been here, on the eve of life and death…huge impending battle with the fate of the world on the line. It's all so tiring and familiar and in a really screwed up patented Bo way…missed. I've always wanted so much. More than I deserve. More than I need. More than I could ever have. In the end I guess I've gotten it all…one way or another.

Warrior. Wife. Mother. Hero. Lover. Soulmate. Queen. White picket fence. House. Family. Be loved and adored. Be admired. Be more than coward. Be more than a runaway. Belong to a family. Belong to a destiny.

I've been it all, a hundred lives lived in a hundred years.

One word; epic.

Smile on my lips as the sun begins to rise. Ideally if this is my last day it would have been my wish to spend with Lauren, with the kids and Kenz. But this is duty right? And I can take some small solace in knowing that one way or another it ends tonight.

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Michael's POV

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Deep breaths dumbass.

My right hand wrapped tightly around the handle of the katana. Tiye thought my nerves were because I wasn't comfortable with one of these, truth is that's the least of my concern. Little known fact about Trivi, he was a fencing fanatic. My bible lessons often came during fencing lessons. And Soren was a real life Viking, nuff said. I'm not saying I'm Zero but I'm not worried about my ability to preform.

It's everything else I'm worried about.

One foot in front of the other. Mom said make this shit a spectacle and that's what it is. A soccer field filled completely with white sand. Not really sure what the meaning is, kinda dozed off when they were explaining it but none the less it's all filled. Wonder where they got it all. Inquiring minds wanna know this shit. It's otherwise set up viewing wise much like mom's shit was…only I got about a few hundred more onlookers. I don't look at them though, just walk right to the middle like I own this shit.

I guess I do if you wanna get technical.

And then I look up and it feels like my balls jump back up in my stomach. So many people all watching me. Waiting. The drones overhead broadcasting to who knows how many others. I don't know how mom did this shit. Taking a deep breath, ready to exercise my 'get out of jail free' card mom left for me in my letter….my eyes catch Tiye. She's standing at the first landing with other important people but for me she's the only one.

Wonder if mom felt this looking at mother.

"When my parents wrote the new world order there was but one crime they deemed unforgivable. One crime they ruled at the most severe level unnecessary of trail. It is not because they are vain. It is not because their egos could not accept opposition, it is because a crime of treason is not just against them but against all of us. When the new world order was written it was with one objective, for the people. One people. One nation." My eyes move from her to part of the crowd. "One people. One nation."

I wave to the other end, twelve guards bringing out six men tossing them onto the ground and throwing a sword in front of each of them.

"My family has fought for you. My family has bled for you. And my family has died for you…they still are." I draw my blade. "So treason will never be accepted. Not in this life time and not in the next."

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Bo's POV

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A chill creeping through the air bringing a familiar fell of death that seems almost poetic.

"Your son," Her words cause me to turn just in time to watch her stand. "He won brilliantly. A true heir to you and the queen's bloodline."

"He will be great."

"They will speak of this victory, his victory for decades. Centuries even depending how favor falls upon him."

I warn her, taking several steps toward her. "He must never know of the protection bindment that you placed."

"Never. Truthfully he didn't need much at all. In fact it was confidence in which he lacked, not strength or skill."

"That's great to hear."

"Yes, I imagine it is for a warrior like yourself."

"He must never know Karhia."

"He will never…not from my lips."

"No, no he won't." Forced smile fading as I grab ahold of her head, chi sucking her in a matter of seconds. Her body dropping with a thud, any trace of guilt gone as I see Kenz lingering in the back. "She should be the last traitor within the wall. Mikey should have taken care of the others. Any left now are not important enough to do any damage."

"Everyone is in position now."

"I know."

"It's almost time."

"I know."

"This might not go how you're hoping."

"I know that too."

"You know everything."

"Fake it until you make it right." I wink, forcing a smile doing my best to push off any traces of doubt lingering.

Here we go.