Chapter 47

Capricorn fought the pain he felt the only way he knew how. Each village he came upon met the same fate as the previous one and when he left there were only lifeless bodies and ashes with smoke rising from the cinders. It brought him some peace, but even the carnage didn't take away from the pain that ebbed endlessly inside him. It brought him closer to returning to Meggie though and that alone was enough to make him want to burn his world until it was no more.

"He's becoming more ruthless like he was before he left" thought Gemini the thought never leaving her lips even as she noted the eager vengeance that burned with a smoky hue in his eyes. He started the fires and liked to watch the billows of smoke rise into the air. Gemini took his place atop her horse simply watching the chaos now. She saw her brother kill whoever he could get his hands on and walk through the smoke without any sign that it was having any affect on him. He had an agenda and Gemini saw clearly what it was. His wife, always, he wanted her back by his side, and Gemini didn't know if that was what was best or not. She had never met the woman that her brother had fallen so helplessly for. There was no way for her to know the influence she had over him, but as she watched what he was willing to do to return to her she decided she didn't need to know for now. For now, she just needed to help him rise until he reclaimed the status, he had built for himself in the land he'd disappeared to. She would see him be king and worry about his queen another time. Now, she just let him kill, and watched as he did so. She advised him and waited to see how the Adderhead would respond to this sudden jolt of action. She watched him leave his horse as soon as they entered a village and grab the nearest person by the back of the neck only to take another second to kill them. Her brother didn't seem to care who met the edge of his blade anymore. He was battling a pain that only this killing could sooth.

When it all first began, Gemini would admit that after her initial hesitation that she felt a thrill the first time she saw Capricorn act out his revenge. She had felt a tingle in her gut and a warmth as she sat astride her horse watching everything play out before her. It had been so long since she'd seen him this way and Gemini realized how she'd missed him in that moment. Sometimes though, after everyone was dead and they were preparing to leave again that Gemini saw the way her brother seemed unable to stop himself once he had started. He didn't want to stop killing and she worried that he would cross a line that he couldn't come back from. She wanted to protect him and if he did something, she couldn't protect him from, Gemini feared she'd lose him, and he would never achieve what he had returned for. He would never overthrow the Adderhead, never see the woman whose picture he worshipped, and worse than that he would lose his life at the handle of some lesser man. That wasn't the only things that worried her though, for the Adderhead was always looming, and his judgement was yet to be heard. Because while they hadn't heard one word from him yet, the Adderhead could consider this a type of treason, but she took his silence as a positive thing for now. She could see her brothers' pain, especially when he looked at her picture nestled within his watch, but he wasn't sulking with his longing. Instead, she watched as Capricorn used his pain to scorch the land around him, and it was working to their advantage.

"They're saying my name in fear again, sister" whispered Capricorn one night as they sat in his tent after sharing a meal, but his eyes never looked at her instead only at the picture of his bride and though Gemini didn't respond she could only wonder if the Adderhead felt the same about it.

That was how he came to Capricorn one day, something no one had ever thought would happen, and asked for a word with his henchman. Gemini watched with pride as the two men walked with two guards on either side of them into the woods. At first, they walked in silence with their hands clasped in front of them, but with a cleared throat the Adderhead broke that easily.

"You've kept yourself busy in the time since I saw you last…you strike fear into the hearts of the people" said the Adderhead, Capricorn didn't respond. He honestly didn't know if he was supposed to.

Capricorn knew as he watched him that the Adderhead had an agenda. He had had one since that moment in his throne room and somehow, he knew now would be when it was revealed. All he had to do was wait and somehow, Capricorn knew that would be his downfall. So he simply walked beside the monarch with his eyes lowered in false respect always waiting for all to be revealed to him. He had never been this close to him out in the open and he noticed he was different when not within his castle walls. He didn't stand as tall or walk with the same sure steps. He was feeble and it was as Capricorn realized this that he felt a type of relief. He barely heard anything the man said as that relief ran through his veins. There was a moment when he'd wondered if he was really capable of bringing down a man of the Adderheads stature. If he had the power to bring the man to his knees, but seeing that same man now, Capricorn didn't feel the same anymore. Because the Adderhead wasn't the all-powerful monarch he'd known. Now, he was just a man, and his life could end just like any others. More then that he was an old man who had lost the strength he'd once been known for. Capricorn was suddenly more sure of himself then he'd been before.

"I want to strike fear into their hearts as well. I'm going to use you as a tool to help me do that" said the Adderhead stopping with his cold eyes staring directly at him.

"How so, my liege?" whispered Capricorn, his head bowed.

"You will look at me when asking such things" snapped the Adderhead immediately and without hesitation Capricorn did. His mind hadn't changed about the man before him, but he never let that be seen as he looked into those eyes. Those eyes held a decision and Capricorn could suddenly feel his destiny approaching him. He could feel himself getting all the closer to seeing Meggie again and he would do anything to do that as he waited for the secrets this man was about to tell him.

"I'm going to march with you on your next raid and when I tell you to burn, you burn, but when I tell you to stop, you stop. When the people of the villages see who controls you, they will bow to me, and serve me as their true ruler" said the Adderhead his words broaching no room for Capricorn to say no even if he had wanted to. Capricorn didn't say anything once the Adderhead stopped speaking. He didn't have to because he knew this moment didn't require a yes or a no. He simply bowed down to the man before him, kissing his ring, and declaring himself he silently promised to do this man's bidding. His heart was always false though as was the very action of bowing. His own agenda always lay within his heart and when he stood again, he looked at the man always having the intention to kill him. Capricorn could feel his moment approaching and it eased something inside him in that moment.

He saw this as his opportunity to understand his enemy.

"I can do as he says and when his guard is down strike him down" thought Capricorn picturing the carnage that would ensue when he followed the man's every order until the day finally came that he didn't. That night Capricorn told Gemini what they were going to do and as he expected she immediately understood. Together, they planned out each moment up until the time when Capricorn would kill the Adderhead himself, and when it was done Gemini saw her brother smile for the first time since being parted from his bride. They shared that smile and for the first time Gemini herself bowed to Capricorn as her new liege lord.

"We're coming along nicely, Capricorn" said Gemini raising her glass to him. As he sipped his wine that was when that smile faded, and that melancholy returned. It haunted his eyes and Gemini knew he was thinking of the woman waiting on him so far away. They didn't speak anymore that night and when Gemini left his tent, he was still sitting there without moving. He didn't even notice when she was gone.

"I'm finding my way back to you, my queen" whispered Capricorn when he went to bed that night part of him afraid to get his hopes up as he pictured that moment when he would wrap his arms around Meggie again. He found himself looking at Meggie's photo and for a moment, he felt her with him.

"I'll be returning to you, Meggie, our time is coming" whispered Capricorn looking at her with a longing that only she could spur in him a longing so strong that he was tempted to spend the rest of his night writing long letters to her in his journal. Because he hadn't done so since they had parted when he took the potion last. He had thrown himself into the act of getting back to her and hadn't picked up his journal since.

The temptation to write her was always there. He thought about doing so before he started his day and before he ended it, but he denied himself the privilege. Somehow, he knew he'd be tempted to take the potion by doing so despite the risks, and he had wanted to prove he could go without the woman he loved. It only made his pain fester though and he found himself longing for the sight of her even more. He found himself constantly looking at the picture she'd given him until even it was a poor substitute for the beauty of the real woman. Now, Capricorn knew he could no longer avoid temptation. He needed her and even the slant of her handwriting was a balm to his soul. It made him open his journal that night his fingers stroking the cover in an almost sensual way before even daring to open it. As always, Capricorn found she unlike him had not avoided writing to him in the time he'd spent destroying the world around him. He found page after page of adoring messages of love in her hand and as he read them, Capricorn felt something in him renew itself. This was why he was here. To rise as a king with a kingdom worthy of the woman he had chosen as his queen. Each word she had written kept him on the journey he'd been traveling, and he loved her more as he read each message, she'd sent him.

"I love you" wrote Meggie.

"My dearest love,

I hope this finds you well and that you know that I am always here waiting for the day we are reunited. Keep yourself safe for me. I truly believe we will soon be together again, either in this world or the one you seek to conquer now" wrote Meggie her words beautiful alone, but this passage was accompanied by the slope her lips. Meggie had kissed the page she'd written upon and sent them to him. The sight of those kisses made his heart pound, and he had the sudden longing to kiss her. That was when he knew he had to close the journal or else he feared he'd give into his need to take the potion to share with her that kiss.

"I love you, my queen, I am always working my way back to you" wrote Capricorn before he closed the journal his finger ever so briefly tracing the curve of her kisses pressed into the page. He longed for those lips and for her.

"I am and will remain deeply in love with you. Make your way back to me and never have reason to fear, I will always be waiting to be by your side once more" wrote Meggie immediately responding to his words making his heart jump as he suddenly found he couldn't close the journal knowing she was there as more then an image to stare at. In that moment, Capricorn could picture how Meggie must look as she wrote to him. He could see her laying sensually in their bed in only her nightgown with her eyes cast in shadow as she wrote to him. He saw her in the throne room doing the same and he longed for her. He closed his eyes and breathed finding he could almost smell the scent of her skin. He could almost feel her hands on his shoulders and when he opened his eyes, he thought she'd be there ready to straddle his lap, but when he looked, he was still alone.

"I miss you, so much, my love" wrote Capricorn knowing within the depths of his heart that the need to find his way back to her was the only reason he was still on this mission he found himself on.

Capricorn knew why he'd done this when this had all began, but his reasons had changed from what they'd been before. Now, he knew his sole reason for any of it was Meggie. He wanted to make her proud. To be the king of the inkworld and have her as his beautiful queen with her smile always shining down upon him. She was his greatest inspiration, and he couldn't wait for the moment when she saw the kingdom he would lay at her feet. And yet there was also the great longing to see her face again. Because he wanted to see her again and hold her again. Meggie was counting on him and so were all the men out there who had taken this chance with him.

"It won't be long now. Soon, you and I will be king and queen of this land. I love you, always" wrote Capricorn finding it was all he could say before he finally closed the journal only to open it again seconds later.

"I love you, Meggie" wrote Capricorn in that moment watching the words to read them over and over again before closing the journal.

He stared at the ceiling of his tent and he could feel the building impact of this moment. Tomorrow, he would ride out, and be the Adderheads henchman again, and he promised himself this was not the end. Now, he was yet again a henchman, but soon he would return to be a king. And he would have his queen by his side again.