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SONIC CHAOS 3: UNDERGROUND ARC - ALEENA
Rage and Grief
The Queen, waiting anxiously at the palace door, looked around for any sign of her missing husband or daughter. She turned towards the garden and caught her breath when she saw Aleena emerge from it with Sleet. Their arms were coiled around one another. She started then grinned. Her grin fell, though, when she noticed how distraught and shaken her child seemed, and how suddenly on edge Sleet was.
"Aleena? Darling, what happened?" the Queen questioned, approaching her daughter and the wolf.
"Mummy," Aleena said in a breaking voice, releasing Sleet and going to Sonya, hugging her tightly.
"Sweetie, what is it?" her mother worriedly asked.
Aleena shook her head. The Queen looked questioningly at Sleet, who bristled a bit before sighing. He looked directly at the woman. "The king caught sight of us in the garden," he said.
"Whatever were you two doing there?" the Queen asked, but she was playing oblivious. She could guess, from the way they had been holding one another's hands, what had happened.
Sleet shifted uncomfortably. "I…" he began before stopping. He shook his head and looked to her. "My lady Queen, I love your daughter!" he at last blurted.
"What?" she asked, still playing oblivious.
"I love your daughter," he said again through gritted teeth. "We met at the pond. A question of what we had become to one another came up, and our answer was clear. Clear to him as well, when he caught us locked in each other's embrace."
"Oh my," the Queen whispered, covering her mouth. Aleena, sniffing, drew away from her mother and rubbed her eyes. "Darling, perhaps you should go to your room and take a moment to calm down. I can't imagine the confrontation was pleasant."
"Father wanted to imprison and torture him," Aleena answered. "He said that death would be too good for him. The things he threatened…"
"Aleena, go to your room and take a moment for yourself. I would walk with your suitor a moment," her mother said. Aleena looked a little fearful. "No ill will befall him at my side, dearest. I promise." Aleena looked reluctantly at Sleet.
"I will go with you, majesty," Sleet replied with a nod, though he seemed a little wary. He looked at Aleena and reached out, taking her arms and rubbing them gently up and down. "We'll talk soon," he promised. Gently he kissed her forehead and released her, going to her mother's side. The Queen nodded, linked her arm in his, and walked off with him, Aleena watching after them while nervously rubbing her arms.
SU
"What did he threaten you with, young man?" the Queen at last asked as they strolled through a part of the garden far from where the King had been left.
"To blind me, deafen me, mute me, cut off my hands, and pour acid into my nasal cavity," Sleet deadpanned. "Nothing too severe."
"The sarcasm is hardly warranted, dear," the Queen said, frowning at him. He raised an eyebrow at the pet name, but let it slide and glanced away a bit sheepishly. There was silence a moment. "Did he frighten you?" she soon asked.
"No, but he frightened Aleena," Sleet replied.
"Only Aleena? You seem quite shaken yourself," she remarked.
"I'm shaken about being caught so off-guard. I should have known better or sensed his approach long before he arrived. I became distracted and it became costly," he said. "One day a mistake like that could cost me my life. It almost did today. He wanted to battle me. Aleena wouldn't let him. More out of fear of what I could do to him than out of fear of what he could do to me, I suspect."
"You underestimate my husband's prowess. If she stepped in, it was not for the sake of one of you over the other. It was for both your sakes," the Queen said. Sleet was quiet. "Did he frighten you?" she asked again.
"No," Sleet insisted, shaking his head.
"But something he said did," she noted. "Perhaps many somethings."
"The threats I'll admit were… unsettling. And his analysis of my character," Sleet replied. "Manipulative, selfish…"
"Are you those things?" the Queen asked.
"Of course I am!" he bitterly replied. "And your daughter is anything but, so how could this have happened?"
"Opposites attract," the Queen replied.
"I've never held to that belief," Sleet flatly answered. "Attraction isn't so black and white."
"You've answered your own question, then," the Queen said. "If attraction isn't something predictable, then why are you wondering how this could have happened? It simply did."
"It shouldn't have!" he insisted.
The queen tilted her head at him. "Perhaps it isn't so much my husband's threats that are shaking you as it is the realization of what has happened between you and my daughter. You're afraid of it." He was quiet. "What scares you so much?"
"So many things," he at last said. He looked up at the moon. "I would be a selfish lover," he noted to himself. "Very selfish. Entertaining this relationship at all was selfish."
"How so?" she asked.
"Because I'm going to be lucky to see thirty," he flatly answered. "She wants a lifetime and I couldn't give her a fraction of one, but I'll never tell her as much because I want her so badly it aches. Even if I could have her for only a moment in time, it would be enough. For me. Not for her."
"You doom yourself prematurely," the Queen said. "You could very well live to see thirty and far beyond as well. You are far too focused on worst-case scenarios. Hypotheticals. Let them go and enjoy every moment you two will be able to spend together, regardless of how long it may be. Anyone can die at any time, Sleet. My husband could die tomorrow, or I, and feel like we barely lived our lives together, but the life we did share would be remembered the rest of our days. If no soldier or sailor ever married or started a family simply because they could be gone the next day, the world would be quite empty indeed."
"I've never offered my heart or my trust to anyone before. I didn't think I ever could. I still don't believe I'm able to," he said. "Love must be built on trust. What does it mean if one half of the match can't?"
"That, I agree, will be something you and she will have to work very hard on, but will it not be worth it in the end?" the Queen asked.
"I don't know," he answered.
"There is always an element of uncertainty in life," the Queen said. "But if you never did anything just because you were uncertain of the outcome, nothing would get done."
"What if your husband is right? What if her heart is deceiving her?" Sleet asked.
"Sleet," the Queen firmly said, stopping and turning him to her, taking his hands firmly. "Her heart is not deceiving her. Not in this," the woman promised. "No more than yours is deceiving you."
"I deceive everyone else. Why not myself?" he bluntly asked in a measure of frustration.
"All of this crawls back to trust. Clearly that will be the greatest obstacle in your relationship with my daughter. We shall get to work on that right away," the Queen said with a smile, beginning to walk with him again. "Everyone can learn to trust, Sleet. Even you."
"A wolf is sparing on who to give their trust to, because once that trust is broken, it will never be repaired," he said.
"Never is a very strong word," she said.
"Trust is a very strong thing. Especially for canines," Sleet replied. "If our trust is broken, the odds of it ever returning are lower than you could ever know."
"No one asks you to give your trust blindly or quickly," the Queen promised. He nodded. Suddenly, though, he stopped walking, stiffening up and cocking his ears. "Sleet?" the Queen asked, frowning in a measure of concern.
"Something is wrong," he said. He turned quickly back in the direction of the city and listened. Slowly his eyes widened. "I hear screams and gunfire," he said. The queen started, paling, and suddenly the sound of an explosion ripped through the night, causing her to scream and duck. "Mobotropolis is under attack!" Sleet exclaimed, immediately racing back towards the palace.
The Queen, gasping, recovered herself and raced after him, eyes wide in alarm. "Aleena, Bernie, Maurice!" she cried.
"Sonya!" she heard her husband shout. The king raced through the trees and slid to a stop when he saw her running with Sleet. She slid to a stop as well. Sleet kept going without looking back. The Queen ran to her husband.
"Maurice, the city is under attack!" she exclaimed in terror, clinging to her husband's shirt.
His eyes widened and he put Sleet out of his mind, scowling. "We must return to the castle and mobilize the troops!" he exclaimed. "Come quickly my love." She nodded and the two raced towards the castle together.
SU
Sleet ran into the training yard where a distracted looking Jules was overseeing some last-minute training with Argus and Chuck. "The city is under attack!" he shouted to them. Startled, all eyes turned rapidly to him, wide and alarmed.
Chuck, gasping, raced to the wall and climbed up, peering out towards Mobotropolis. Slowly his eyes widened in horror. "Jules, he's right!" he shouted down.
"Everyone mobilize and prepare for battle!" Jules commanded. "Battalions one and two, into the city! Show no mercy! Battalion three, remain stationed here to protect the royal family! Defend the castle and let nothing get near them!
"I'll lead the men in the city," Argus said.
"Jules and I will lead the men here," Chuck said, nodding.
"Sleet, with Argus," Jules ordered. Sleet scowled, unimpressed, but didn't protest. Quickly the soldiers mobilized and swiftly battalions one and two poured down into the city while battalion three stationed themselves around the palace. By the time the King and Queen arrived, defense was already well underway. They gasped in surprise.
"Your Majesties, into the castle!" Jules called out to them. "Argus and Sleet have gone down into the city. Chuck and I are staying here with the guards and battalion three." Nodding, the King and Queen raced inside to find their daughter and niece.
SU
"Bernadette, get up!" the Queen frantically called, pounding at her niece's door.
"Bernie, we must get to the safe room!" the King echoed.
They heard her thump on the ground then scramble to get up. In moments she had thrown open her door, eyes wide. "Aunty, Uncle, what's happening?" she asked fearfully.
"Mobotropolis is under attack!" the King replied.
Bernie gasped. "Where are Chuck, Jules, and Aleena?" she asked.
"Charles is with Jules protecting the palace," the King said, sounding strained.
"Your cousin we're on our way to fetch right now," the Queen added.
"Who's protecting the city?!" Bernie exclaimed, quickly joining her aunt and uncle as they made their way to Aleena's room.
"Sleet, Argus, and two battalions," the Queen replied. "Hurry. The sooner we can get to safety the better. Aleena!"
"Aleena!" the King echoed as the three raced towards the princess' bedroom. They reached it in seconds.
"Aleena! Cuz, get up!" Bernie exclaimed, barging right into her cousin's room.
Aleena, lying in bed, jerked awake with a gasp, looking over. "Bernie, mother, father?" she asked.
"Aleena, the city is under attack. We must get to the safe room!" the Queen said.
Aleena rose quickly with a gasp. "Who's protecting it?!" she demanded.
"Charles and Jules are protecting the palace. Argus and Sleet have gone down to the city," the King answered. Aleena caught her breath, paling, and turned to the window. "Aleena, we must hurry!" her father insisted. Aleena walked to the window instead, looking out over Mobotropolis. Her eyes widened in horror and she covered her mouth with a hand. "Aleena!" the King insisted.
"Those are robots," she said numbly.
The King stiffened. "What?" he asked. Immediately he ran to the window to peer out. Slowly his lips parted in horror. Sure enough, flooding the city and pouring towards the castle was a swarm of bots so numerous they were driving the two battalions in the city to retreat, mowing the guards down in droves! "Solaris, no!" the King exclaimed. He looked to his family. "We need to hide! Now!"
"Take shelter in the palace!" they heard Jules faintly shout out to his armies. "Protect the royal family with your lives!"
"Oh gods!" the Queen exclaimed.
Aleena shook her head and turned, racing from the bedroom. "Aleena!" the Queen cried out.
Bernie was fast to catch her cousin, holding her back. "Aleena, no!" Bernie insisted. "We have to hide. Now!"
"They'll completely destroy the city!" Aleena protested. "Bernie, if we do nothing none of us will survive."
"Trust that the soldiers and guards know what they're doing!" Bernie insisted.
"Where's the dingo pup?" the Queen asked.
"In his room," Aleena said.
"I'm going to get him!" the Queen said.
"Sonya, don't!" the King begged.
"We'll go together, darling, but I won't leave the little one to be found and slaughtered," the Queen said. The King hesitated then nodded. For all his animosity towards Sleet, he didn't feel the same animosity towards the pup. In fact, he'd grown somewhat fond of him. Quickly the King and Queen ran to fetch the child. Their daughter and niece, though, didn't follow.
Aleena turned to Bernie. "Bernie, Chuck and Jules are down there, and Argus and Sleet! We have to let them in," she said.
Bernie hesitated then nodded determinedly. "Alright. Let's do this!" she said. Aleena smiled and the two raced down through the palace to get to the main doors and unlock them. The two reached their destination quickly and began pulling on either side, teeth gritted. The moment the doors were opened, the guards and soldiers poured inside. Taking up the rear were Chuck and Jules, fighting off a few bots that had already made their way up.
"Chuck, Jules, where are Argus and Sleet?!" Aleena exclaimed.
"There!" Chuck replied, pointing. Aleena looked and gasped. Sure enough, racing through the gates were the retreating soldiers from the town. Argus and Sleet were among them. Quickly the two turned and shoved the gates closed, locking them tight. The robots slammed into them moments later, releasing nonstop fire into the fleeing soldiers.
"Into the castle!" Jules shouted. Quickly they and the men who had made it back raced towards the palace, darting inside. As soon as everyone was in, they shut the doors behind them and locked them. "To the windows! Everyone take position and start firing at will!" Jules commanded.
"Jules!" Bernie began.
"Come on. We're getting you, your cousin, and your aunt and uncle to safety," Jules said, taking her arm. "Chuck, you too!"
"I'm not leaving you to fight them solo!" Charles testily replied. "You're coming with us, whether you want to or not."
"Charles…!" Jules began.
"Sleet and I can handle it, Commander," Argus said.
"Speak for yourself!" Sleet testily snapped, heart racing.
"Coward!" Argus shot.
"I like life!" Sleet retorted. "Raining bullets and lasers down on them isn't going to do anything to slow them down. We need something more powerful! Does anyone have any clue where to find an EMP?!"
"A what?" Bernie asked.
"Something that can disable robots en masse, if it's powerful enough," Sleet replied. "It disrupts their inner workings, how I don't know and don't care. I just know it gets the job done, and bullets and lasers don't."
"The armory maybe? The King and Queen might know," Argus said.
"Then I'm going with Charles and Jules, getting the information, and making a break for it. With luck there's a whole supply of them and we can distribute them to the survivors," Sleet said."
"Survivors?" Aleena fearfully asked.
Sleet bitterly shook his head. "They wiped them out en masse. The ones who survived are the ones who ran and didn't try to be heroes. Your sweet Captain here was very nearly among the dead," Sleet said, jerking a thumb at Argus.
"I don't flee from battle! Unlike you, you coward," Argus fired back. "We left those men to die!"
"There's running away, then there's tactically retreating," Sleet reasoned, rolling his eyes. "If we hadn't run we would be dead, and shortly after everyone else would be too. If you think for a moment the safe room will protect the royal family from that swarm, you're as stupid as you look!"
"This is no time for fighting! We must move quickly if we're to have any chance at all!" Aleena insisted.
"Right. Come on," Chuck said, racing off with Jules. Aleena and Bernadette followed. Sleet gave Argus a dirty look then went after them as well.
SU
The four hedgehogs and the wolf raced around a corner and almost ran straight into the panicked looking King and Queen, the dingo pup behind them. "Bernie, Aleena, thank the gods you're safe!" the Queen exclaimed in relief.
"Sleet!" Dingo cheered.
"Chuck, Jules, are you alright?" the King fearfully asked.
"We're fine pop," Chuck replied, though he was clearly shaken.
"None of you will be fine for long if we don't find more effective weaponry against those robots," Sleet said.
"Robots?" Dingo fearfully asked.
"Yes, Dingo. Robots," Sleet said, giving him a look. He turned to the King and Queen. "Do you have access to EMPs or something similar? Anything that can disrupt them?"
"The labs and the armory are beneath the palace. They would be the most likely locations to find such things," the Queen said.
"They're in the complete opposite direction of where we need to go!" the King argued.
"If they're our only chance, they're our only chance!" the Queen exclaimed.
"The safe room…" the king began.
"Will be breached in moments!" Sleet cut off testily. "Tell me where the armory is and hide away your family! If the gods, assuming they exist, are smiling on you, maybe your city gets saved from extermination!"
"I'll bring you there. I have the keys," the Queen said.
"Sonya!" the King immediately protested, eyes widening in fear.
"I'll be fine, Maurice," the Queen said.
"If you're so sure everything will be fine, then I'll go while you stay with our daughter and niece!" the King immediately retorted.
"Darling, we don't have time to argue this," the Queen said.
"As much as I hate to agree with anything your husband says, your majesty, he's right. He'll be of more use to me than you if things go wrong," Sleet said.
The queen hesitated, looking worriedly at her husband. "Very well," she at last relented. "Just be…"
Suddenly they heard terrified screams coming from a room nearby and gasped, turning. The King's eyes widened. "The kitchen entrance!" he exclaimed. "Aleena, Bernie, Jules, Chuck!" He leapt at his children, Bernie, and Jules, tackling them quickly out of the way. Aleena reached out, grabbing Dingo and pulling him back as well. The kitchen door flew out of the doorpost, soaring across the hall and slamming into the wall followed by a hail of bullets and a stream of flame!
The Queen screamed. Sleet seized her, dragging her quickly back and out of the way. The robots poured out into the hall. "Maurice, Aleena, Bernie!" Sonya cried.
"Sonya, run! We'll meet up in the safe room. I love you!" Maurice called, getting up with his children, niece, Dingo, and Jules.
"I love you too!" she called fearfully.
"Mother!" Aleena screamed.
"Run!" Sonya ordered. Sleet seized her arm, racing away. She gasped in surprise at the sudden motion, but nonetheless followed. The robots split up, half going after Sleet and the Queen, the other half going after the King, princess, Bernadette, Jules, and Dingo. The group turned and fled, the King taking up the rear and pausing only to cut down any robots getting too close. Swiftly they ran up the steps.
SU
"Where's the armory?" Sleet demanded of the Queen as they raced the other way.
"Follow me," she replied, leading the way determinedly.
Sleet and Sonya raced through the foyer, Sleet shooting back at the robots determinedly and every so often stopping to fight them. The Queen ran to a door and unlocked it. "Sleet!" she called. Sleet shoved back a bot, shot it in the head, then ran after the woman. "Down here!" the Queen said, pointing. He darted in. She began to follow then heard her husband shout from up above. She gasped, looking up, and saw him high on a balcony. Her eyes widened in fear. "Maurice!" she screamed as she saw him being overwhelmed by bots.
"Queen Sonya, look out!" Sleet exclaimed, sliding to a stop and racing back for the woman.
Sonya gasped, looking quickly over. Her eyes widened in fear, but before she could react she felt the searing pain of a laser tear through her body! She screamed in agony, collapsing to the ground.
"Sonya!" she heard her husband desperately shout. Dazed and gasping in pain, almost passing out from it, she barely registered the cry or what happened next. All she knew was that one moment she was on the ground, the next she was being dragged through a door that was promptly slammed and locked behind her. She cried out in pain, covering her abdomen and struggling to hold back stinging tears. Sleet scooped her up and ran down the steps without a word. She sobbed, shaking her head.
"He'll be alright. The others were racing to his aid," Sleet assured, trying to keep calm. She heard the fearful waver in his voice though. "Queen Sonya, the armory. Now."
"L-last door. At the end of the hallway. To its right are the labs if-if there are no EMPs in the armory," the Queen said. Sleet nodded and focused on his goal. He didn't dare to look at the wound on the Queen's abdomen…
SU
Dingo, Jules, Chuck, Aleena, Bernie, and the King huddled in the saferoom at the top of the stairs, hunkered down and bracing themselves. The King, sitting against the wall, looked like he was in shock. "Sonya. Sonya," he said over and over.
Jules, sympathy in his eyes, turned to the man. "Sleet will do all he can to keep her safe and alive, your majesty," he said.
"I-I saw them shoot her," the man numbly answered. Tears burned his eyes and he covered them with a hand, shaking his head and clenching his teeth. "I'll never see her again," he brokenly said. Or if he did, it wouldn't be for long.
Aleena, sick with worry and fear, paced restlessly, looking constantly at the door. "We can't just stay here hiding! We must go out and help them!" she insisted, pointing at the door.
"Ally, stop," Chuck warned quickly. She looked at him, eyes wide. Her brother shook his head. "Don't give our father anymore heartache than this. He won't survive it." Aleena looked nervously at her wounded father, who Bernie was fearfully trying to tend as the man clutched his heart. Tears burned the princess's eyes and she looked once more towards the door, but for her father's sake she stayed.
In her heart she sensed she would regret that decision for the rest of her life…
SU
Sleet lay the wounded queen down on a table and examined her injury. One look, though, told him all he needed to know. He swallowed thickly and let out a shaking breath. "How bad is it?" she asked.
He was quiet. "You'll be alright," he finally answered.
The queen giggled ever so slightly. "You're lying to me," she said.
"You have to be alright," he said quietly.
"But I'm not, am I?" she asked.
He was quiet, unable to meet her eyes. "You can't go," he finally said, voice wavering more than he would have liked it to. "I can't… I'm afraid of what your death will cost me."
"You are selfish, young man," she said, shaking her head with a rueful smile. "But I think that not all of you is. Is that really the only reason you're afraid?"
He was quiet, arms wrapped around himself. "Maybe I don't want you to die, your grace," he at last said, sounding more vulnerable than he had sounded since childhood he'd bet. "I can't remember the last time anyone showed me such kindness and concern. I can't remember when last I was shown more respect and honor. I can't... I can't remember the last time I was treated as a son... Why do you treat me so well?"
"Because I sense there is more to you than meets the eye. Clearly my daughter did too," she said. He flinched a bit. "If you're afraid my death will cost you Aleena, you're wrong. My death will not take her from you. If anything, it will only bring you closer."
"She isn't the only one who can keep us apart," he answered quietly.
"My husband," she realized softly.
Sleet let out a breath, still unable to meet her eyes. "If there was a chance before that one day the King would accept me as your daughter's choice, it's gone now. He'll blame me for your death, and do all in his power to keep Aleena away," he said.
"Are you really going to let that stop you from trying?" she asked. He was quiet. "Dear boy, look at me," she ordered.
He flinched a bit before forcing himself to look at her. She smiled at him. "Do you love my daughter?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"What would you give up for her?" the Queen asked.
"Whatever she asked me to," he answered.
"And beyond that?" the Queen questioned.
He bowed his head, closing his eyes. "I would give up my life and my freedom for her," he at last answered, stunned at how true his words were.
"Then know that at least you had my blessing," she said. "In fact, I confess that from the first night you stepped into her life at the ball, I hoped you and she would come together." They heard the doors being slammed into by the robotic hoards, and he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. "There is a secret door to the lab. If you cannot find any EMP here, that door is near the back. Behind the wall of swords. Go. There's nothing you can do for me."
"Queen Sonya…" he began.
"Sleet, go," she firmly said. "Take the pendant from around my neck, and the rings from my wrists. Give the rings to Bernadette. Give the pendant to Aleena. They are powerful, Sleet, and my niece and daughter will know how to use them. Tell my girls I loved them."
"I'm not leaving you to the bots," Sleet insisted.
The queen smiled softly at him. "Then be quick," she replied. He nodded and turned. "Sleet, for how long will you love my daughter?" the queen suddenly asked.
Ha paused. "Wolves mate for life," he at last answered. She smiled and closed her eyes.
Sleet let out a breath then quickly began to search for an EMP or anything similar to one. He cursed when his search proved fruitless. The labs were his next bet. He hurried to the wall of swords and found his way behind them. It wasn't long before he had located the secret door and pushed it open. Looking warily back, he entered it and came out into the lab. He began to search it for signs of any EMPs. He reached a storage locker, threw it open, and gasped at what he saw. A box filled with the devices they needed! He could have cheered. Seizing the whole thing, he retreated quickly back to the armory and hurried to where he'd left the queen.
"Queen Sonya!" he exclaimed. He froze, though, when he saw her, and his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. After a long moment, he at last set the box down and approached. He looked down at the pale queen, swallowed over a lump in his throat, and cursed the tears he felt misting his eyes. He bent down, listening for any sign of life. There were none. Slowly he straightened up, heart heavy. "Rest in peace, your grace," he solemnly murmured. He turned his back. "Gods know I won't." Least of all when the King heard of this. That, though, was the least of his worries right now. He went to the box of EMPs. He could only assume this lab was Charles' and that Charles had figured one day the devices would come in handy. The robots were almost through the door. He frowned, looked back, quickly moved some furniture into a makeshift barrier, took the EMPs, then got behind the weak barricade. He picked two of them up and aimed towards the entrance.
One crash, two crash, three crash. The door was splintering. Sleet charged up the two blasts. There was a moment of silence, then he heard something very heavy charging. All at once the door was broken open, bots pouring inside! Sleet fired and the robots immediately began to short circuit en masse, the two charges instantly destroying the inner workings of the whole mass that had followed him. He smirked darkly. Oh, this would work. If every two shots could take out about one-hundred of these things—admittedly he was just guessing at the figures and assuming two EMP blasts had been a bit overkill—this battle was theirs. Scowling, he sprang over the barricade with the box and raced out to find Argus and his men to distribute the EMPs.
SU
From inside the safe room, which was currently being battered mercilessly by robots dangerously close to breaking through, the royal family heard a mass of cheers and gasped, looking towards the windows. Aleena ran to them and peered out. Her eyes widened in hope. "They did it. They found the EMPs!" Aleena exclaimed, turning to the others. "The tides have turned, father, look!"
The King caught his breath and rose quickly, peering out. His eyes widened when he saw the soldiers pouring forth and eliminating every single robot swarm standing in their way. Rapidly they were forcing their way back into the city in the hopes of saving the civilians that remained and whatever other soldiers had managed to pull through or take shelter. He let out a shaking breath of relief, closing his eyes, but every part of him told him that something had been lost today far greater than could be recovered from, and he felt only hollow. He swallowed, closing his eyes tightly.
She was dead. He knew she was dead. He sensed it in his bones…
They heard the sounds of robots malfunctioning outside the doors, and soon there was a pounding at the door. "Your majesties?!" Argus' voice shouted.
They turned quickly with gasps. Dingo hurried to the door, pulling it open. "Argus!" he exclaimed in relief, eyes widening when he saw him standing among the robotic shells.
"Argus, you made it!" Aleena exclaimed in relief. "Where are Sleet and my mother?"
"Sleet brought the EMPs back, took one, and ran off without a word. Your mother wasn't with him. I assumed he hid her somewhere and was racing back to make sure no robots could get to her there," Argus said, shrugging.
"Then we have to find him! Where he is, the Queen must be," Jules said, eyes wide.
"Wait. Take these," Argus said, taking a backpack off and throwing it down. It opened and EMPs spilled from within, one for each person there. Immediately they grabbed them up and ran from the room to try and find Sleet and the Queen.
SU
The King took up the rear as the group approached the armory, navigating carefully through the fields of disabled robots. He felt numb, heart sunk into the pit of his stomach. They approached the broken door and Argus pushed it carefully open, EMP at the ready. He moved quickly inside and gasped in horror. Jules and Chuck entered swiftly after and they heard Charles give a pained cry. Aleena and Bernie froze, paling. Aleena was quick to recover, darting inside. When she saw what was there, though, a scream escaped her lips as she covered her mouth. Bernie quickly followed, stared a moment, then suddenly broke down, collapsing to the ground on her knees. Jules moved as if to go to her, but Chuck stopped him, taking his shoulders and warningly shaking his head. Not now. Not in front of the King. Jules swallowed and nodded. Charles went to Bernie instead, kneeling next to her and pulling her close.
Aleena stared, frozen in place with eyes wide and tears spilling over. She could barely process what she was seeing. There on the table lay her unmoving mother. Sitting at the feet of the body was Sleet, his knees drawn up and his face buried in them. "Mummy!" Aleena screamed, racing to the body and bending over it, desperate to find some sign of life. There was none. She shook her head in denial and began to sob, falling over her mother and weeping brokenly. Another grieved cry escaped her lips. Then the King entered…
Charles and Jules looked numbly towards the monarch. He was utterly silent and utterly composed. He stared in silence at his wife's body. Tears burned in his eyes and soon spilled over, slipping down his cheeks. He didn't scream or break down. Somehow he was beyond that point. He had resigned himself to this outcome long ago. He had expected it in fact. Numbly he crossed to her corpse and stared down at her. Sleet rested his chin on the top of his knees and said nothing. He knew he would be blamed for this. He knew the danger he was in. As soon as some semblance of order was restored, perhaps even before that, the King would turn on him.
The King, mouth quivering, reached out and gently rested his hand on the Queen's forehead. He shook his head in denial and sniffed, then let out a shaking stream of air. He bent down, pressing his lips to hers long and tender as his daughter wept upon her mother's chest, and Bernie wept against Charles, clinging to him. Sniffing again, the King withdrew. "Rest soundly my love," he whispered to the queen, drawing his hand down over her eyes and closing them. His niece and stepdaughter continued to weep. Coldly he looked towards Sleet, who glared frustratedly at the ground and had yet to meet his eyes. "You were supposed to protect her," the King darkly said.
Sleet bristled ever so slightly, but said nothing. Aleena, though, lifted her head with a soft gasp, looking up at her father in shock. "Papa?" she fearfully said. "Papa, you cannot blame him for…"
"You failed your task," the King cut off, eyes still fixed on Sleet.
"Father!" Aleena began, standing quickly up.
"Aleena, don't make it worse," Jules cut off quickly, giving her a warning look. Now was not the time to get into a confrontation with her grief-stricken father. The wolf would be bad off enough as it was.
"I did everything I could," Sleet said.
"Silence!" the King roared in outrage. Sleet fell quiet. "Get out," the King darkly said, pointing towards the doors. "I'll deal with you later. For now... just leave us alone to grieve."
Sleet was quiet. At last, though, he got up and left the room swiftly, taking a confused Dingo's hand and not looking back. Aleena watched tearfully after him.
SU
Sleet walked to Dingo's room silently and entered it. "Sleet?" the pup fearfully asked.
"Pack your things. We're going to be leaving soon," Sleet said.
"Why?" Dingo asked.
"Just do as I say, Dingo. Leave me to worry about the why," Sleet answered.
"Okay," Dingo nervously said, nodding. Sleet watched the pup bustle about getting his things, and shook his head before turning to leave the room quickly, feeling an unwelcomed lump in his throat. He closed the door and leaned against it, shutting his eyes and drawing a breath. He willed back the threat of tears. He didn't know how long he had stood there, but what snapped him out of it was a voice speaking his name.
"Sleet?" He looked over. Jules. The wolf stayed quiet. "The king would see you," the Commander solemnly said. Sleet looked down at the ground miserably. "I… I'll speak for your sake. Charles as well. I think even Bernie would. It might pacify him."
"No. It won't… But what does it matter to me anyway? I never wanted to be here in the first place," Sleet replied, pushing away from the door and making his way down to the throne room with Jules. The queen's death would be blamed on him, he knew, and he would be in very real danger when he confronted the King. For his part in saving the day he would probably be spared his life, but after that debt was repaid, all bets were off. If he displeased the king again, he signed his death warrant. He was living on borrowed time, and no one could deny that.
SU
Sleet knelt before the king's throne feeling trapped, agitated, and distressed. "You were supposed to protect her," the king darkly said.
"I did everything I could," he answered. Part of him wondered, though, if he could have done more.
"Then why is she dead?" he asked.
"Her wounds were too severe," Sleet said through clenched teeth.
"Why was she wounded at all?" he asked. Sleet savagely bit his tongue to keep himself from answering that.
Because of you…
"Distraction can be fatal, Majesty," he chose to say. He wasn't quite able to keep his answer to himself, but at least his wording might save him some small measure of retribution.
There was silence and Sleet half expected to be arrested on the spot, but to his surprise the King said nothing. That was somehow worse. "Yes. I suppose it can be," the man finally, and darkly, replied. Sleet wisely stayed quiet. "If you can't even protect my wife, then you can't protect my daughter," the man at last said.
Sleet looked sharply up at him, eyes wide. "That isn't fair!" he protested, standing quickly.
"Get out!" the King snapped. "And take the pup with you."
"I…" Sleet began. He caught sight of Jules, Chuck, and Argus all making cutting motions across their necks, frantically trying to warn him off. He winced, biting his tongue, and bowed his head defeatedly. "As you command," he at last said.
"Henceforth you are banished from my kingdom," the King said. Sleet let out a breath. "If I ever catch you here again, I'll see you strung from the walls," the king continued.
"Pop, please. There was nothing he could have done!" Chuck protested immediately, eyes wide.
"Silence!" the King snapped. Chuck caught his breath and bit his tongue, then bowed his head sadly.
"Sire…" Jules began.
"Whoever else dares to try and speak in his defense can join him in his banishment! Up to and including my own children," the King darkly threatened, looking at Chuck. Charles swallowed thickly. "Or Sonya's relatives," the King added, turning to Bernie. Bernie caught her breath subtly. Jules let out a shaking breath and looked at Sleet hopelessly.
"Now the beast is unleashed it seems," Sleet icily said to the king. He wondered just how much the Queen's good influence had kept the man from the darkness within him. Given what he'd seen so far, he would guess a vast majority.
"Get out," the King said.
Sleet shook his head and turned to leave. He paused in the door. "You know, I don't fault you for this, but I'm not the one to blame for her death."
"No one is," Bernie quickly and firmly said. She knew exactly what he was implying, and if he kept talking he was going to talk himself into an early grave. They didn't need that now. Aleena didn't need that now. Bernadette felt tears burning her eyes.
Her aunt was dead… Aunty was dead.
Sleet huffed and walked out of the throne room. "Argus, escort him. Make sure he leaves the city," the King darkly ordered.
"Yes sire," Argus quietly agreed, sounding tired. With a sigh, he followed the wolf.
As Sleet walked through the corridor, making quickly for Dingo's room to collect the pup, he stopped. Aleena stood up ahead, walking hand-in-hand with Dingo and smiling down at him tiredly. When she looked up again, her smile fled and she paused. Dingo looked up at her in confusion, then towards Sleet, then up at Aleena again. For a long moment the princess and the bounty hunter held one another's gazes. At last Sleet looked at Dingo. "Go get the bags you packed. We're leaving," he said.
"But…" Dingo began.
"Dingo, now," Sleet firmly said.
"I'll take him," Argus murmured from a bit behind. Sleet nodded and Argus went to the pup, leading him away. Aleena watched after them, tears threatening her eyes, then turned to Sleet again. He shook his head and walked on, passing by her. She drew a shaking breath, bowing her head and closing her eyes.
"Stay," she softly pled.
He paused at her side and stood there in silence. "Not this time my lady," he finally answered. With that he walked on, not once turning around. She felt tears slipping from her eyes and sniffed, wiping them away in frustration.
SU
Sleet made his way towards the hideout in the city silently. Dingo stayed close at his side. Argus seemed torn. Sleet reached it and went to the door. He would grab his things, then they would go. "Just remembered I have a prior engagement somewhere else," Argus muttered. "I'll take your word you left the city on your own." Sleet turned quickly to him in surprise. Argus offered a weak smile, turned, then left without a word more. Dingo looked curiously up at his partner.
"Go inside, Dingo," Sleet finally said. "We'll discuss our next steps later."
"Do we gotta leave the city?" Dingo asked.
"Yes," Sleet replied.
"Will we?" Dingo asked.
Sleet was silent. "We'll see," he finally answered. Dingo tilted his head but asked no further questions.