"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." Barack Obama


"Gregor? Is it really you?" The girl standing in front of me was a stranger, but so familiar it hurt. Her voice was desperate and wavering as she held in tears. All I could do was nod weakly, staring at her in awe just as much as she was to me.

Elizabeth rushed forward and it was a good thing I was still leaning against the hospital bed; I may not have been quite strong enough to hold both of us up with my injuries, but she did all but bull rushed me. She would have made a great football player. "I can't believe it's really you."

I stiffly wrapped my arms around her shoulders, half because of the bandages and half because I never thought I'd hold my little sister again. It was a little surreal to hug her after nearly ten years. She had grown up so much, even if her head hardly reached my heart, and I missed all of it. Emotions hit me like a truck as she tightened her arms around my torso; I didn't even feel the pain from my stitches. "I'm so sorry." I whispered into her hair, pressing my nose to the top of her head.

She pulled back, confusion written on her features. "Sorry?"

I sniffed, hoping it would keep the tears stinging my eyes from falling. "I missed your life, I left you without a big brother, I caused unnecessary pain. What kind of a brother does that?"

Elizabeth started shaking her head soon after I started talking. "If you're sorry because you couldn't scare my first date into bringing me home early, believe me, Boots embarrassed me enough in your place." She laughed gently at the memory, crossing her arms. "Gregor, you need to know that I'm not mad at you for leaving."

My protest was cut off just as soon as I began to open my mouth. "I was a little confused since I was only five, and mom didn't tell me exactly what happened." I scrunch my nose. Mom didn't tell her? "At first she told everyone that you went to boarding school and couldn't visit for holidays because it was so far away, but I found your letter. Mom kept it in her side table, I guess she looked at it a lot and accidentally left it out one day. When I realized you left to make my life easier..." She stopped to shake her head again, wrapping herself up in her arms as a few tears finally fell from her big brown eyes. "It pushed me. I worked even harder in school, just in case you came back so you'd be proud of me."

Her wavered words hit me square in the chest. Even in my darkest days, the thought of Elizabeth living a life without hardship could fuel me forward no matter how starved or cold or hurt I was. "I've never stopped being proud of you." My voice broke, and I rubbed my face to wipe away the wetness. "Ever since you stole my homework when we were kids. That's why I needed to leave so you could have the opportunities you deserved."

Elizabeth leaned into another hug, resting her head on my chest. We stayed like that for several minutes. I didn't know what else say and she didn't offer anything. I could feel my bandages dampen with her tears and I made sure to wipe mine away before they reached her hair. She radiated heat against my chest and I didn't want to let her go. If I let go, she would go back to the Overland and I'd never see her again. I buried my face in her hair, it smelled like the Underland soap. My little sister.

She pulled away eventually with a small smile. "I got to go to science and math camp every year and guess what, I skipped a grade. I'll be a senior this next school year." By the end of her story, a wide grin spread out on her face and was mirrored on mine. "Whenever I got scared about walking into a junior class, I would think of the sacrifice you made for me. Your strength always gave me strength when I didn't have it. When you say you weren't there for me, you really were in the most important way."

I relaxed against the hospital bed with relief. "That's all I ever hoped for, Elizabeth."

She flushed when I used her full name. "I usually go by Lizzie now." I laughed and stood, pulling my shirt over my head that seemed to catch her attention. "Did those ants do all of this?"

I winced a little as those cuts pulled at the movements. "The fresh ones, anyway."

A frown formed on her face but a guard appeared in the doorway. "Queen Luxa requests your presence in her chambers, Warrior. A light meal before the trial."

I nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and directing her out of the room before she could say anything. "Come on, I'm starved." She gave a gentle laugh too, holding onto my waist, allowing me to direct her through the palace.

We entered the royal chambers to Luxa and Hazard sitting in the lower communal area. Luxa sat forward in the single chair, leaning into her hands as she rubbed her temples. "Hey." I called to her, flopping down across from her with a groan. "How are you holding up? This is my sister, Elizabeth."

She waved shyly to Luxa and Hazard before sitting next to me. Hazard waved, his eyes wide. "I have sent for food," Luxa said, her voice fatigued. "We must eat before the trial."

As if on cue, several servants filed in with covered plates, setting them on the long central table. They bowed and quickly hurried out again. Elizabeth hesitated at the extravagance. I handed her a plate and pointed out the good stuff before helping her cut up a fish. "Eat up, E."

She smiled at me, her eyes softening. "I remember you calling me that." She whispered, more to herself as she poked at her plate, but I still heard it. I was only about three when she was born, so I couldn't say 'Elizabeth' at first. Eventually, that led to me simply calling her by the first letter. I called her that until the day I left. I sighed, not sure what to say, and everyone dug in.

A guard came sometime later and the two of us shuffled down to the courtroom; Luxa and I both agreed leaving our siblings out of the trail was the best idea.

There were more people and fliers packed into the large stone bleachers than Ares's trial. Nerissa stood near the throne and approached us. "Cousin." Luxa reached for the frail girl, pulling her into a short hug. "How did you enjoy the crown?"

Nerissa shook her head. "It is a truly dreadful job. I do not know how you bare it." She took the thin gold ring from her head and offered it to the princess. "I think this fits you better than I."

"It seems I only lose one of these to find another. Thank you, for standing in for me." Luxa sighed as she accepted it, giving it a shove back on her head. She turned to me and I gave her a nod. "Let us begin. Bring in the Doctor."

She stepped up to the stone throne and gingerly took her rightful place as the skittish doctor was guided in, her hands bound with the guards nearly holding her up completely. "Doctor Neveeve." Luxa paused as she stared her down, her face so unnervingly stoic it worried me. "What say you to the charges brought against you?"

Neveeve struggled and if she wasn't sitting, I'm sure she would have collapsed. "Your Highness, I was only following orders." She said weakly.

"Do you deny that you researched the plague, that Ares was infected in your lab while you bred the germ, and you led others to believe the cure was in the Vineyard of Eyes while knowing you had it in your hands the whole time?" Luxa demanded harshly, silencing the crowd of murmurs. Her face remained emotionless to an outside view but I saw the micro-twitch of her jaw and the swirling inside her eyes. She was furious.

The rest of the color in Neveeve's face drained. "I...I did not…"

Luxa shook her head. "Was Ares infected in your lab, yes or no?"

Reluctantly, the doctor nodded. "There was an accident, it was no one's fault. He came to me for something else entirely."

"And you led the questers, the whole city, to believe the cure was in the Vineyard of Eyes." Luxa continued, her voice still like steel, cutting through not only Neveeve but everyone present.

She left no room for Neveeve to protest. "I could not reveal the truth. The research was secret…" Casting her eyes down, the doctor trailed off.

My eyes narrowed at that. It was secret? And if she was following orders... I glanced at the front row of the stands where the council sat. A few, if not most of them had shifty eyes that didn't stay in one place for long. My chest tightened and not because of the stitches on my ribcage.

'Some of them knew.' I stared down the elders just as harshly as Luxa had been Neveeve. Before I could voice my opinion, the princess continued her questioning. "So, doctor, you thought to conceal this secret, you would allow the plague to spread and send an unsuspecting party on a deadly fool's errand. Is this correct?"

Neveeve broke down, crying freely and the guards rushed forward to keep her from slipping from the chair. "Your Highness, you must understand!"

"I do not." Luxa affirmed, her words coming out slow and pointed. "I will never understand the decision behind taking innocent lives and threatening even more in order to save your own. Doctor." The only noise in the court were Neveeve's sobs. "The conviction of treason is death. Prepare her for execution."

As she was carried out through the same door she entered, Luxa turned to Vikus. "How many vials of the cure have been produced?"

"A storage cave's worth." Vikus stood to answer her, his hands together in front of him. He looked relieved like it was the first piece of good news he had been given. Before that of his granddaughter's return, of course. "And there are doctors below Neveeve that know the cure's recipe."

Luxa nodded. "Send what we have to the gnawers." In an instant, the room that had been pin drop silent just a moment before erupted in protest. Luxa stood in response and held her head high, quieting but not stopping the defiance. "I was not present when this outbreak began, but what I know is our treatment of the gnawers is unjust. They lost the war and we took what we desired from them as payment. They are no longer our enemies so we will treat them as innocent bystanders to this hellfire that we have brought upon them."

She took the two steps down from the throne slowly before stopping in the middle of the open space. Luxa stood in front of the stands, arms crossed behind her. She spoke with conviction and a firmness to rival steel. "We do not live above others. We are not higher beings. This plague affirms this. We have done our fellow warmbloods wrong. They are who we shall help first. Then, if the fates are so kind, we can still be saved."

Vikus, eyes wet with proud tears, placed a hand on his heart and gave his granddaughter a small bow. "As you command, Queen Luxa."

Another council member stood, his eyes frantic as he took in Vikus and the princess. "You would not say the same, Your Highness, if you had loved ones that have fallen ill to this plague and have only so long to live!"

More murmurs of agreement sounded but they did nothing to affect Luxa's confidence. "You say I do not have loved ones affected, Nellon. You could not be more wrong. Howard, my cousin, Ares and Andromeda, beloved friends, and Serenity, my closest friend." At that she paused and for a flicker, sadness washed in her eyes before it quickly disappeared again. "They have all been stricken by this plague. Above all, the city and the people that I love have suffered from this sickness. During your suffering, where was I to help you? I will live with this failure the rest of my life. But for now, Nellon, I begin to remedy it. Starting. With. The Gnawers. Does anyone else question my order?" By the end of her speech, Luxa's voice rose until she was shouting it through the once again silent room.

It seemed she looked each person and flier present in the eye, daring them to speak up. After a minute, and when no one did, she turned back to her grandfather. "Have the cure sent to the gnawers and as much flea powder as they need. Have Ripred send us a count of the remaining numbers necessary and promise more of the cure will be sent. Then contact Queen Athena for her number of sick, and any remaining warmblood ambassadors that will still speak with us." A look crossed her face and a smile threatened the corners of her lips. "And if they do not wish to speak to us, have them speak to Hazard."

Vikus smiled at her, giving her a nod of agreement. I took a few steps forward, my arms crossed. I was proud of Luxa for standing firm, but there was more to this that needed to be addressed. Luxa glanced at me over her shoulder when she felt my presence. "Some of them knew." I nodded toward the council members in front of her.

At the accusation, they became just as shaky as Neveeve. Luxa straightened her posture impossibly. She didn't react at first then shook her head. "I may have been gone, thought dead, but I assure you I am back for good. I am Queen, and if I need to wipe my advisors and start with a clean council moving forward, I will not hesitate. This trial is dismissed."

In a flourish, Luxa turned and exited the courtroom. If it wasn't such a tense situation, I would have laughed at her dramatics, but instead, I sent a strong look to the council before following.

I didn't have to go far to find her as she leaned against the wall just outside the courtroom door inside a small private side room. She had her fists clenched hard at her sides, her head rested against the smooth wall. Her bright violet eyes were closed and her face was neutral. "You did amazing out there." I interrupted her meditation quietly.

Luxa let out a long sigh that deflated her posture. She started shaking her head and I already knew what she was going to say. "If you're going to say something about not being able to stop the plague before it started or doing something different during the attack with the sea serpents, I'll tell you exactly what I said in the jungle."

She sighed again and shook her head. "I will never stop saying that to myself."

"If you want to be mad at someone for this plague, you can be mad at me." In surprise Luxa finally opened her eyes, turning her head and scrunching her eyebrows together. I was sure she was about to ask why, so I beat her to it. "When we lost you, I spent every moment studying maps to try and find you. I ignored Ares, and he was mad at me. Instead of going to the hospital, he went to Neveeve to treat his mite wounds; outside the city, in her labs, where she was breeding the plague. Ares was infected because I ignored him. The plague may have still reared its head at some point, but this all happened now because of me, so be angry at me, yell at me, hit me, kick me, but do not blame this on yourself."

A stagnant moment passed and Luxa's expression searched mine. In a flash, hollow anger streaked across her eyes and she pushed away from the wall. She gave a strangled cry and her fists connected with my chest. Luxa pulled back and brought them both down against me again, and I let her. Her face was full of frustration and anger, but not towards me. Towards the council members that betrayed her, towards Neveeve, and most of all towards herself for letting it all happen; even though she couldn't have stopped this if she wanted to.

No matter what though, she was a leader, through and through, and in any situation, she took all the weight on her shoulders.

Luxa's head fell to my chest in exhaustion. I wrapped my arms around her, setting my chin on the top of her head. She smelled like leather and soap. I closed my eyes and soaked in the moment.


A review pointed out it's been nearly three weeks? Whaaa? Kidding, I know it's been a...while. As you can see, this chapter was emotional, I wanted to get the words and actions perfect. I'm also a busy body and have zero time to breath. I'll try to do better, stick with me.

I felt bad for making you wait so here it is a day ahead of the schedule I never keep. Sorry it isn't longer :/

Leave a review, they make me happy and remind me to write.

Yours,

Artemis.