Disclaimer: I do not own Jak and Daxter

A/N: Hey guys! It's been a long run but I'm sad to announce that Krimson Underground is about to come to an end. In fact, this is going to be the penultimate chapter. Now I want to save all the real thanks-yous and all that for the final chapter (so the next update) but I will say now that I have been really grateful for all the support and reviews for this story and I can promise you though before you start crying (if you have then stop it) there is no reason to because this is not the end of Aella's journey because I am coming back with a Sequel which shall be named Destined Mother however I'm still not sure on that title so if anyone else has a better suggestion please send me a suggestion. Anyway I hope you've enjoyed this run and this next chapter and I will hopefully see you all very soon! R&R!

Chapter Thirty-Six

For MJ Huwaine

Aella survived. She couldn't believe it. She really was damn lucky. That or the Precursors really did have big plans for her. If that was the case they must be pretty important if they were really adamant to keep her alive. She blinked against the shadows and small specks of smoky light clouding her vision as she returned to the realm of consciousness. In fact, she found herself covered in only a few bruises and with a bandage wrapped around her knee. She reached out to touch it, it had been dressed well. When she sat up on the bed she had been laid on an overwhelming sensation of pain spread across her back. She arched back and gritted her teeth together as she hissed from the feeling. She also noticed that her arm had been wrapped up as well. There was a cut on her lip and on her cheek. For a moment she preferred the option of being dead rather than being alive and in pain. She shook her head. That was a stupid thing to think, not to mention a bit over the top. She was supposed to be a soldier for goodness sake. She then reminded herself that it wasn't that bad and she needed to stop being melodramatic. She was going to blame it on the fact that she may have feelings for Damas, the King whom she served as she could think of no other cause than the feeling of 'perhaps-being-in-love' was what was causing this.

"Where am I?" She murmured.

The room was smaller than Damas' throne room in Haven City but it still seemed to have the magnitude and magnificence his still had. It was darker and less...sophisticated however. In some ways Aella preferred it and even thought to herself that she should recommend Damas to redesign it to this style. Only in jest of course but this room felt more like Damas than the one he already had. It had raw, aggressive, warrior King written all over it. If she thought about it this throne room, as she could tell from the seat which rested a few feet away from her, was grander than the one in Haven city. There were torches lit on high stands which danced in the air and filled the room with small specks of ash which floated down to the ground with loss of vitality but with grace. She almost felt herself be taken to a foreign land were people danced round fires deep into the night. Wild and free. The people which sung the songs of heart. There were small baths which looked more like the natural springs which could be found out in the wild. There was something ancient about this room. Something which had been hidden from the eye of mortals despite being in plain site. Like a dark secret.

"Huh, you're awake. You were unconscious for so long I thought you were actually dead and my monks were chanting for nothing." She spun round and narrowed her eyes at the stranger.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

~ (***) ~

The man narrowed her eyes at her but was still going to answer her question. He put his hands behind his back and slowly made her way towards her, taking her in before he spoke. She hastily got off the bed and stepped forward. She didn't want to be shouted down at like she was a child or something. She could tell because this was the look Damas gave to her sometimes when she first started and after to many others. Now, she knew it was a look that she should never worry about. It wasn't the I'm-going-to-rip-your-head-off look. It was more the You've-got-guts-to-talk-to-me-like-that-isn't-that-refreshing-but-still-not-impressed. This man was much older, he was elderly in fact but still looked strong rather than fragile and weak. He wore armour like it was his every day clothing, something she knew was very uncomfortable and for a moment was impressed with considering his age she knew it could only be a lot worse for him that it was for her. She never wore the heavy armour other KG officers wore but a jacket, shirt and trousers but still the weapons and other things the uniform entailed was uncomfortable. His silvery, long hair snaked down his back in a braid. His bright green, violent eyes seemed to burn into her every time it was cast in her direction and looked like they were continually sending her death threats.

"I am King Luka of Spargus. You're presently in my chambers despite not having the station to reside in my rooms but we had no where else to put you."

Aella rolled her eyes. "Sorry for inconveniencing you." She muttered.

King Luka's eyes burned with anger and he strode towards her surprisingly quickly for his age. He stopped when he was close enough for her to feel and smell his breath on her face.

"I would show your elders a little respect, stranger. So before you speak, think. I can see you are one to have a rash manner as well as a disrespectful one also."

Aella rolled her eyes. This was all very refreshing for her, since she was used to the men his age being afraid of her own shadow. None of them would think twice to speak to her like that. Not that she enjoyed it, it annoyed her more than anything.

"Listen, pal. I will gladly leave and be out of your way. Just show me where the exit is."

"Not so fast." Said a familiar voice.

~ (***) ~

The streets were almost deserted. They might as well be. The King was gone. People were so easy to believe those terrible lies which were being made about him but the monastery knew better than to believe the likes of Baron Praxis. It was amazing that he had been able to get away with it and no one else in power had opposed him. Then again the people didn't exactly know of him save his 'heroic' efforts for the city. For those who did know of him, they had already been bought by him or they feared what he might do to them. Metrodona had heard that Lord Moran had been taken in the night as a 'traitor' working with Damas but she knew the true reason.

She reached down and gripped Seem's hand. "Come on, Sweetheart."

"Where are we going, Donna?" She whispered knowing she couldn't be too loud.

"I told you, Darling. We have to leave." She replied solemnly.

"But why?"

She glanced around cautiously. "Because it's no longer safe for us to stay here any more."

All the monks were leaving the city now. They knew it was only a matter of time when they would be questioned of their loyalties and whether it would be Praxis or the King which had been thrown off the throne. Most of them knew where they stood and the ones who wished for martyrdom had no intention of escape. For those with a little more sense and decided in life they could do more decided to leave the city and take refuge in a sanctuary or temple out of the city walls in the wild. They all knew it was better than staying here where they faced execution.

"It's just like Amos said..." Seem murmured.

Metrodona's ears seemed to prick at the word 'Amos' and gripped her by the shoulders. "Seem how do you know that name?"

Seem looked startled. "Nothing." She said too hurriedly.

"Seem-"

"Are you Metrodona?" Said a gruff voice.

Metrodona turned around and kept her arm around Seem and turned to the tall KG officer. The one which was still left from the loyalists offered his services to get them out the city.

She nodded stiffly. "Yes."

He nodded. "Follow me." His eyes slowly drifted to Seem and frowned. "You're..." He shook his head. "Never mind...Come on..."

Metrodona frowned and looked to Seem. "Do you know that man?"

Seem stared after him with a far-off look in her eyes. "Once...I only met him once..."

~ (***) ~

Aella froze on the spot at the sound of his voice. She was shaking all over. So he wasn't dead...He wasn't gone...She couldn't believe it. He's still here...Wait, he's still here...? It sent shivers down her spine and the voice seemed to echo in her head because it seemed to slow for her to process who the owner of the voice was. She wasn't sure whether to believe it at first. She recognised it but her instincts wanted to tell her to check first before jumping to conclusions. She knew that voice and the owner better than anyone. The owner even knew her better than anyone else did. Even Barack. She knew it all too well but she was still wondering whether it really was his voice. She just couldn't believe he was alive. She had spent days picturing him walking through the gates of Haven City as well as him being face down in the mud. His body unmoving and cold. Both of those thoughts always brought tears to her eyes. The first because she would be undoubtedly happy and would wrap her arms around him. She wouldn't do such a thing but it was what she wanted to do more than anything.

She would be saddened, of course, by the second scenario. She didn't want him to be dead. She could never imagine a world without him because she never thought of such things. She could never bring herself to think of such a version of this world. She didn't want that future to come despite being distressed by the one she was shown and she knew what was going to happen. Still, she wanted to defy the world so long as he was in it. She knew him for long enough that it was Damas' destiny to change the world, save it a little or less than Jak was going to but still a little more than the average person. If Damas died she couldn't think of anything else to fight for, live for, die for. It would be like she lost her purpose in life. If Damas died she felt like she would've been tricked by the Dark Maker and that she had been played on by her emotions, thoughts and feelings she didn't realise she had. Not until now. She always thought that it was something which had been created by Lord Moran and not a reflection of her true feelings for Damas. She thought that was just a fantasy. Something that would never happen in a thousand years. She had no reason to feel them before because he didn't show anyone else any affections for her to be jealous of. She didn't have any reason to show her real feelings towards him. She never could, not matter what her visions told her, she could never tell him her real feelings.

~ (***) ~

Samos turned to him in the dark as he held up the lantern. He glanced out to see if they were coming but there was no sign of them.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Amos sighed. "Yes. I've told you-"

"She hates you, you know." Amos turned away with a dismissive look on her face. "She was never able to forgive you..."

Amos closed his eyes, knowing who Samos was talking about. Metrodona and Amos were childhood friends. Next to Samos they told each other everything. When this happened...

"I know." Amos snapped. "I know."

Samos shrugged his shoulders. "Then why are you helping her?"

"I'm helping Seem." He replied after a long silence. "I owe her that much. I led her to believe that she would be safer there than with me and look how that turned out."

Samos watched the man and still saw that there was something else on his mind. Or maybe there was more to this girl than he implied.

"And?"

Amos sighed again. "And I kept on pretending that she was Aella. I kept on thinking if I did right by her then I would be able to make up for the fact that I left her there. She could have a better life. She deserved a better life-"

"Amos, what could you have done for her? Sure, you could have given her a less...difficult life but she needed to be strong for the trials she has ahead. She needed thick skin and you gave it to her by leaving her behind. You should never regret that."

"When she knows the truth about her father though, Samos...She will never forgive me. You know that."

"I...I don't know about a lot of things. But I do know this..." He walked towards him and placed his hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing, nothing, for you to feel guilty about. This life we have...It's not easy, its a life of hardship but...It is what we must do so that everyone else can have a happy life..."

In the distance they heard footsteps and then voices approaching. It sounded like a woman and a child. When they got closer Samos was able to recognise them and smiled. He turned to Amos who had gone as white a sheet. Then when they were close enough Metrodona saw Samos and smiled but then her eyes drifted to the man standing next to her and went equally white.

"Amos...?"

~ (***) ~

She slowly turned round to face Damas who had an amused smile on his face, despite casting a dark look in her direction.

"I heard you were looking for me. Sig, just happened to be conscious to tell me everything. I have to say for someone who's just been wounded and been exiled from my presence you have a lot of guts to disobey a direct order as well as risk your own life. Some would think you had a death wish."

Aella chuckled. "You could say that." She blinked away the tears which were stinging her eyes and stepped forwards. "I'm glad to see you alive, my Lord."

Aella practically fell to her knee despite it being bandaged and making it hurt even more but she had to acknowledge her King. Damas went to her and grabbed her by the shoulders to bring her back to her feet.

"Don't damage your knee any more than it already is." He hissed. "You've proved your loyalty already."

"Damas, I'm sor-" She then brought her hand to her mouth realising that she had called Damas by her name rather than 'my Lord'.

She couldn't believe she did that. She spoke his name. Just thinking his name made her want to tremble. Maybe that was how she knew that she loved him. The very thought of him made her heart pound in her chest so hard that it hurt and she felt like her mind was drifting to another place far from where she was at the time. For years she had been very diligent on being very exact about how she should refer to him. She was always strict with herself even when it came to him. There were moments when she could've slipped but she never did until. Now. Why now? Of all times when he was likely to be the most stressed. There was even the possibility now that he could no longer be ruler of Haven City. If she remembered the vision correctly she was going to be King of Spargus. She knew she was beginning to have feelings for the rough, slightly moody faced warrior King but she was overstepping it a bit by referring to him by his first name. Not to mention making it all the more obvious as to what was going on in her head. For now she wanted to keep those feelings in check. She knew that there was the small chance that he may have feelings for her but she didn't want to get too overexcited in that department.

Damas raised an eyebrow. "Yes? You were about to say something."

"I...I was about to say that I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I should have told you."

"Told me what?"

"That Praxis was a traitor. I knew he was working with Krew and I was about to tell you but the messenger came and told us that you and the army were about to march out and...I had no time. All I could think about was keeping you from danger. I had to stop you from going to your death."

Her words exited her mouth so rapidly she almost wasn't thinking about what she was actually saying. She always thought about what she was saying when she was with Damas. With Damas everything seemed to make sense and she never had to lose her track of thought because he was always on the same page as her. Yet after all that had happened the world had been thrown into a chaotic mess which could never be cleaned up. Especially with the growing feelings she had for him. That didn't help. She just had to keep saying enough in order to make sure she could convince him that she wasn't betraying him in any way.

She didn't want him to think that she was a traitor. She wanted him to know that she would lay down her life for him. She would never betray him. She might as well stab herself in the chest or commit some other form of suicide because to betray him would be to betray her heart. If he found out something of the truth from somewhere else she knew, as all these things ended in this way, he would not have the whole truth and therefore make up his own even though it was far from it.

She could see from the look in his eyes that he was confused but he knew what she was trying to say. He just couldn't read the emotions behind the words which she was using. They had this connection where they knew they were both thinking the same thing. That they knew what one thought of something. She knew when he disapproved of something and vice versa. He knew when she felt that there wasn't something quite right with a certain proposal or courtier. It was like they were twin souls who could read each others thoughts and knew when the other was distressed or approved of something. It was something which could never be explained because who could explain love. Only the people who were involved in that could explain because it was them who were experiencing those emotions and gradually getting to know that other person like they knew themselves. They could only explain it to each other in their own secret language. Others outside of that love could only vaguely interpret it not ever knowing the true depth of that love. She was never really sure what it was actually like to be in love with another person. She thought she had it with Barack. But that was only the first time.

~ (***) ~

Damas finally spoke and stepped toward Aella. He reached out and touched her face. She flinched slightly but not noticeably. His eyes seemed to twinkle for a minute which made Aella frown.

"Why would you want to do that?" He asked softly.

She was speechless. Her mouth was open but no words escaped. She couldn't think of anything to tell him.

"What do you mean?"

"Why would you want to save me? So badly that you're blinded by the fact that I can take care of myself. In fact I should be the one to save you by the looks of things."

She looked around to find that King Luka was gone. She was alone. Alone with Damas. She didn't know where they were or whether she was somewhere thousands of miles away from Haven City.

"I guess I'm not getting an answer for all the questions buzzing in my head until I answer yours right?"

"That is correct." He replied huskily, now stroking her hair which sent charges of electricity down her body.

She gulped. She couldn't say it out loud. It was too much of a cliché. "Why did you watch over me for the whole time I was unconscious?"

He sighed. "I thought you were answering my questions before you even asked yours."

"I was answering yours." She replied determinedly. She took a deep breath and finished. "Its for the same reason I think you watched over me for all that time. The reason why you want to protect me despite the fact I can take care of myself. But that's fine, because I don't think anyone's being able to do that for me in a while. In fact, never. I've always had to look after myself. So it's kind of nice that someone wants to look out for me despite knowing that I can look after myself anyway."

His eyes bore into hers. They had grown more intense. More passionate. He grabbed her by her arms and leaned in close to her.

"Say it. Say why I do those things for you."

He was shaking now. She was almost afraid he might break her bones, throw her about the room or kill her. She knew she had to answer him because she knew he couldn't control the force inside of him for much longer.

"Because you might...care for me more than you should."

"Why should I?" His voice shook like the hope inside was beginning to fade.

"Because you could never...it could never be more. I'm nothing. I don't deserve you." She was almost on the brink of tears. She didn't know how long she was going to hold out.

Damas couldn't believe what he was hearing. What she was saying for foolish. Short-sighted. She must've been unable to think straight. There was no way the woman he knew could think in such a way about herself. She knew she was better, stronger, more deserving of the highest honour this world could provide for such words to use to describe herself with. She didn't deserve him? Surely it was the other way round. He was the one who couldn't provide her with what she wanted. She wanted freedom and the things which even Spargus could provide her with. Not him. Haven City would constrict her dreams and ambitions. She was as free as the wind. She was like the water, which no matter where it was spilled, it could make another path, down another road. It was malleable. It was stronger than people thoughts. Like Aella. She was as natural as the earth, unafraid of what people thought of it and no matter how much people tried to destroy it things always came in full cycle and brought it back to the beginning. She was as passionate and uncontrollable as fire. If you tried to constraint it or catch it you would get burned. She was something Damas always wanted. He remembered his mother and recalled as a child, when he watched her that he knew he would be lucky if he found a woman who was half the woman his mother was. Now, in his arms, was a woman who could easily match her.

"You think I care for such things? Do you think I would let that stand in the way of-" He stopped. Even he couldn't say that out loud.

"You don't have to say it out loud." She said quietly.

She allowed these words to sink in until he realised what she was actually saying to him. He was a little hesitant at first but she stepped back a little until she was pressed against the wall. For a moment he thought it was going to do it steadily and gently. Then she was remembered he was a warrior. She was a warrior. Warriors never did anything steadily. They were passionate. Quick. Hasty. These thoughts filled her mind and made her feel dizzy with ecstasy. She felt herself burning all over with desire and her eyelids fluttered with her mouth slightly open as she gasped from the back of her throat. He reached out with a shaking hand and rested his hand under her chin, brushing his thumb along her lower lip. She suddenly moaned desperately which he knew was his cue to charge forwards. He crushed his lips to hers, hungrily eating at her mouth. He wanted to consume her completely. He grabbed handfuls of her hair as she dug her nails into his shoulders. She bit his lip which he growled at and ripped himself from her for a moment to throw her neck back and engulfed her mouth into his again.

She clung onto his desperately and felt like she was...somewhere else. She felt like someone else had jumped into her body and started taking over her reason. She would never do something like this if she was in her right mind. She felt like her soul had drifted out of her body and she was know somewhere else. Somewhere she couldn't even imagine ever to be capable of existing. She never thought that she could give herself away like this and to feel so safe in doing so as well...Whenever people told her about love she always laughed in their faces. Love could never be like that. It was either lust or delusion to her. It could never be so sudden. It never was with Barack. Love could never be so easily planned out. Like with Barack. The more her past preconceptions of love was being discredited the more she was beginning to wonder whether what she had with Barack was love. Then she came to a guilty thought. She no longer cared. Barack was dead. It was a cruel reason but she couldn't allow herself to be held back any longer for such a reason. She had those feelings because she was still hung up on him. She never truly forgave herself for his death until now. She knew now she could finally move on and allow herself to love again. He finally ripped himself away and buried his face in her neck. His breath was heavy and deep. He slowly emerged and looked deep into her eyes.

"You know I have always...Deep down."

"Please don't." She interrupted breathlessly. "It's too much of cliché."

He laughed and embraced her. "You're going to be a hard woman to impress." He murmured into her hair.

She sighed and turned back to him. "So when are we going back to the city?"

He looked away and sighed. "I'm not going back Aella."

She frowned at him. He didn't say what she thought he said did he? Haven City was his pride and joy. It was his destiny. His legacy. His responsibility. He wasn't implying that he was going to turn his back on it now. She knew that going back to Haven City would make their relationship a little bit more complicated but she would much rather deal with complicated and compromise that turn her back on her duty, her family and friends. If they left Haven City in the hands of Praxis, Haven City would fall. She had no idea what would happen to it but she didn't want to risk more despair and destruction that had already been caused by Praxis and this war.

"What are you talking about?"

Damas hesitated. "Ever since I came here everything seems clearer to me now. I finally realise where I'm supposed to be here, with you. Here we can flourish as the warriors we were born to be.

This is my home, Aella. The place which I thought was once my home has thrown me out. There was news from Haven shortly after you left. Praxis announced that I had made the deal he made and no one questioned it."

"Wha- But that's no reason to turn your back on your people! On your responsibility! You're supposed to be King and if you are the man I know you to be you wouldn't turn your back on that.

You're a King!" She insisted.

"I am." He replied gently. "I still will be. I will be King of Spargus one day."

Aella blinked. "I don't understand. You just arrived you can't just be turned into an heir as soon as you walk into a place."

"Technically I always have been an heir. King Luka is my Grandfather. His daughter was my mother."

She frowned and shook her head. "I thought they all died."

"He survived the attack and found this place. Soon people, outlaws, castaways were found when he went out to hunt and it grew over the years. Into a city. It's amazing how something as vast as this could turn into something as great as this."

He pointed in the direction of the window. Aella gingerly walked over to the balcony and stepped out into the night air. She looked over what looked like a sea of stone or sand houses which resembled those from the design of about a hundred years ago or more. She could see the fires from within the households burning like stars sparkling in the sky above them. It wasn't any bigger than the industrial district but she had to admit she had to agree with what Damas was saying. His Grandfather came from a long way.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

"It could be ours." He replied.

She frowned and turned back to him. "What do you mean?"

He took a deep breath and took her hand. "I'm asking you that once I am King that you will be my Queen."

She felt dizzy. These words seemed to sink in so slowly. He wanted her to be his Queen? But not of Haven City. But of Spargus. A place that she didn't know. A place that wasn't her home. She didn't know this place. He wasn't truly fighting for something. He was giving up. He was settling for second best. The second best life for him and he was asking her to sink down to that level with him. How could she do that? How could she bring herself to look into the mirror and know that she could be proud of herself for doing such a thing.

"Why are you asking this of me?" She demanded. "Why are you asking me to turn my back on my family, my duty?"

"I'm not." He insisted. "I'm asking you to make your own destiny. You're supposed to be here, Aella. Not in Haven City. They are filled with passionless people who have no real warriors blood in their veins. They even easily rejected me without a second thought."

She pushed his hands away and shook her head. "So this is about pride. For a moment I thought it was because you no longer had the effort to fight for what you wanted but now I know and you know what I preferred you as a coward!"

She turned away and raced through the throne room with Damas calling after her. She could hear his footsteps chasing after her but she wasn't going to let him catch her. She ran through the room searching for a way out of the palace. She skidded round a corner and stopped. Her heart beat was pounding wildly in her chest as she watched Damas run straight past her hiding place and down the stairs. She checked if the coast was clear and went in the opposite direction. She wandered around for a while until she found herself downstairs where they were keeping some vehicles. She chose one at random and was about to climb into it before she heard a voice behind her.

"Aella, where are you going?" She saw Sig walking towards her with the intent to drag her back to Damas. "Damas is going insane trying to find you!"

"I have to go back to the city, Sig. I can't just abandon them." She snapped.

"Well they've abandoned us, so its best if we stick to the top of the food chain and stay here. I suggest you do the same."

Aella stared back at him. He thought he was going to be able to convince her to turn back to Damas and forget that the second half of their conversation never happened but she wasn't like that. She wasn't one to forget, like she wouldn't forget her duty and those she left behind. She was wrong about before. Her purpose didn't revolve around Damas. She realised what her purpose was before she even met him. Her purpose was to be a warrior and if there was one thing she knew, it was a warrior always persisted. Never gave up until the end. So that was why she turned her back on the man she loved. That was why she started the engine and drove out into the night and never looked back.