Disclaimer: I do not own the Fable universe. Characters you do not recognize were created by me for the purposes of this story. Story contains scenes of a very mature nature, do not continue if anything of that nature could offend you (sex, violence, sub/dom, non-con). This story will be quite dark at times, you have been warned.
Sections of previous chapters will be quoted in italics in this chapter.
***A special warning: this is going to be a very sad and dark chapter. Besides that, it will also contain gore and scenes of self-harm/mutilation. Thank you for all of the kind reviews posted. I hope this chapter does not disappoint! - Fallon.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Walter kicked down the door to the war room and they stormed in, a dozen dwellers and rebels at their back. Maya thought she had prepared herself for seeing her brother again – she was wrong.
Logan sheathed his drawn sword as soon as he saw her, apparently not wanting to raise arms against her. He looked exhausted, but relieved, like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders the moment she'd entered the room.
He was pale and looked sickly thin. Dark circles were under his eyes and his lips looked cracked and dry, like he'd been long deprived of water.
"So, the child returns...bringing the rebel home." He hissed as he walked around the map table.
At that moment, her hatred for him dissolved and she wanted nothing more than to embrace him and tell him it'd all be fine. She saw her brother standing before her, not the tyrant who had covered Albion in a shadow of fear and uncertainty. She saw the man who defended her from bullies in her youth and nursed her through illnesses and injuries.
She saw Logan.
"She's more than that," Walter snapped, "and now she is ready to take your place."
Logan looked back at the map table with a forlorn look on his face, "Perhaps it is time for another to lead Albion -"
"You're a tyrant, Logan," Walter clarified for him, "not a leader. Your parents would be shamed to look upon you now. You've fallen deeper than even I ever thought possible."
Logan looked at Walter, but Maya saw no true hatred or anger there, "My sister deserves to know the truth, Walter. If you're too stubborn to hear it, so be it, but do not deprive her of my warning based solely on your own illusions."
Walter shook his head sadly.
Maya knew where Walter was coming from. Standing before him was the man he'd mentored and practically raised. She knew it had to pain him deeply to see him in such a state.
Maya motioned to the dwellers, "Escort my brother to the dungeon...gently."
Logan looked at her as he was lead by, "Sister...Maya -"
"I've not the heart to listen to you right now, brother," she said truthfully, "I'll hear you out...during your trial."
He hung his head, "I know I've hurt you greatly -"
"More than you'll ever know."
"But I ask that you listen to me when I'm given the chance to explain myself," he tried to reach out to her, but the guards jerked him back.
"I will," she whispered quickly, "but I ask that you respect whatever I decide."
He nodded, knowing what she meant, "Of course."
When he finally left the room, Walter laid a hand on her shoulder, "Lets go find Ben."
Maya inhaled sharply, "Lets"
Ben gagged as sheet covering the body was pulled back. Mercifully, the balverine covered him back up and allowed Ben to stumble away and regain his composure.
Ben had been in numerous battles, seen numerous dead bodies, but none came close to the horror that the thin sheet concealed. He knew then that Maya could never see what lay in a twisted heap, covered in that soiled cloth.
He took a few deep breaths before returning to the balverine, "The Princess can not see this, do you hear me?"
"See what?" A soft, feminine voice inquired.
Ben turned around and saw Maya and Walter approaching.
"Go back to the castle, Maya." Ben asked gently, not wanting her to see what lay under the sheet.
"What is it?" She asked, panic lacing her voice, "Have you found Von?"
Ben hung his head. He'd rather scale a mountain than break the news to her, but it looked like he wasn't going to be given a choice. He cleared his throat, "Sort of..."
Walter grabbed his arm, "Where is the damned wolf, boy?"
Tears welled up in Ben's eyes, "I'm so sorry, Maya..."
She grabbed his arms and violently shook him. Terror surged in her stomach and she felt horribly nauseous, "Tell me, Benjamin Finn! Where is he? Why isn't he here?"
"He is," spoke the balverine near the sheet. He hung his head, "I'm very sorry, Your Majesty."
Maya searched his eyes for an answer, then her gaze fell to the lump by his feet that was covered in a shroud. Her heart sunk into her stomach and her knees went weak.
Her lips quivered and her eyes saddened, "No..."
The sheet was stained with blood, soot and bodily fluids. It was damp with the rain that fell softly from the clearing sky and mud surrounded it. She realized it was nothing more than a flag of the Army of Albion, but it's original symbol was almost unreadable.
"Gods...please...not him..."
She stumbled and Ben quickly caught her before she hit the ground.
Walter stepped back, his hand over his mouth in silent horror.
Maya rocked back and forth in Ben's arms, "No...no...no, please, no..."
Ben kissed the top of her head, "Gods, I'm so sorry -"
"It can't be him!" She gasped stubbornly, "Please tell me there's been some sort of mistake."
The balverine shifted on his feet, "I assure you there hasn't. Von Kaiser is dead, Your Grace."
Tears flowed freely down her soot covered cheeks, leaving clean streaks that crisscrossed down her face. She felt sick to her stomach yet was overcome with an overwhelming anger that threatened to overcome her.
Surely this was all a cruel joke? Von, her Von, couldn't be dead!
She broke free of Ben's embrace and struggled to get to her feet. She would soon be crowned Queen of Albion, the most powerful woman in the land, and yet she had never felt so weak in her entire life. The eyes of everyone in the clearing were on her. Balverines approached, some covering their modesty and some not.
Maya didn't notice, she didn't care.
Her eyes were glued to the shroud covering his body. She reached forward to pull it back.
Ben grabbed her hand, "You don't want to do that, Maya."
She choked on a sob. She knew if she didn't that she'd never believe he was truly gone. She needed to do it lest his ghost haunt her for the rest of her life. And yet she didn't want to. Pulling back the sheet would make it real.
There would be no going back.
Walter stepped forward, "Remember him how he was."
She coldly pushed them both back and snarled at them, "Do not tell me what to do! Do not presume to know how I feel!"
Ben raised his hands and Walter covered his eyes in an attempt to hide his tears. He feared what seeing Von's body would do to her and felt he was watching the fall of another child he'd practically raised.
Maya knelt by the body and tentatively touched it. She could feel the fur under the sheet and whimpered.
"We remain in the form we die in, my lady," a nearby female balverine explained, "you may not recognize him."
Maya brushed aside her tears.
Von had hated so badly what he was, the thought that he had died in that form made her sick. She tried to remember the feel of his skin under her finger tips that night in Aurora, and struggled to recall the feeling of his muscles tightening as she kissed his stomach. Those memories seemed so far away now. She did remember the scars that marred his chest and back but could not remember how they felt.
She needed to feel that heat again, that life.
She balled the sheet up in her fists as she fought with herself.
The first time he'd kissed her had sucked the air from her lungs, but the softness of his lips on her's felt like a lifetime ago. When she thought he was dead after plunging into the ocean she had felt similar terror, but this was different – his body was right before her.
Whimpering, she slowly worked the sheet from his body.
A gasp tore through the crowd and many looked away.
Maya wailed as he was finally revealed to her and Ben and Walter pushed back the crowd of onlookers to give her privacy.
She gingerly touched his arm, lacing her fingers into the dark fur. It was then she realized that he had been badly burned and that his ears, lips and eyelids had been completely eaten away by flame. His skin was horribly charred and was flaking away at her soft touch, revealing inflamed, raw skin.
The scent of burnt fur and flesh was thick in the air.
She gained control of herself enough to look into his eyes, but the startling white-blue had been eaten away and replaced by utter blackness. The scar she had left on his cheek was gone and what lay in its place was a bald patch it the shape of the blue scar that had been there.
Maya whimpered and brushed her fingers over his cheek.
He'd said she'd marked him for life, but not even her mark was spared by the flames that had desecrated his body.
"Maya..."
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Walter watching her with reddened eyes.
"You shouldn't stay here, love."
She turned back to Von, "Do not tell me what I need..."
"I wasn't -"
"Leave me be, all of you!" She screamed at the crowd, which quickly scampered off for fear of her wrath.
Only one remained, the one who originally stood over his body, "My lady?"
"Who are you?" She spat, not pulling her eyes from her fallen love.
"Malakai, Your Highness."
She swallowed hard, "Please give me a little longer...then I'll allow you to take his body to the Pine."
As hard as letting go was, she could not bare the thought of stealing him from his home. At least there he could be laid to rest next to his father and near the body of his murdered infant son.
"Of course," Malakai said with a bow, "call for me when you're ready."
With all but Ben and Walter gone, Maya sat down beside Von's body and continued to stroke his cheek. She thought about what they could have had, the happiness that was within their grasp. She cursed herself for not running away with him when she had the chance, for not leaving with him for some distant land and forfeiting the crown and Albion to her brother.
Perhaps if she had done that he'd still be alive.
With her sadness threatening to make her sick, she closed her eyes and rested her head on his burnt shoulder.
"I'd give it all up," she muttered, "to bring you back..."
She waited for a reply that would never come.
She balled her hands into tight fists, "You said you wouldn't leave me..."
Ben and Walter heard what she was saying and both tried to keep as quiet as possible. Neither wanted to interrupt her but both feared leaving her alone.
Maya's chin trembled as the finality of it all hit her, "Please come back...come back to me..."
The rain was washing away the blood and grime from her skin, but she still felt the wound of his loss like it was a dagger buried in her heart.
He was gone.
They'd never be together.
She never be able to tell him how much she loved him.
"Our paths will take us in opposite directions...and I don't want them to."
He pulled back to look her in the eye, "I'm not going anywhere. I swear it on my life."
"But what about the Family? Ezra -"
"He doesn't matter anymore," Von said quickly, "He does not command me...you do."
She cupped his cheek and smiled sadly as he leaned into her hand, "Don't say such things, I don't own you, Von."
He smiled as her fingers trailed over the blue scar on his cheek, "Yes, you do. Ever since you marked me. I could not leave you if I wanted to - I am bound to your side until the life leaves my body."
She was hit with another wave of heavy sobs. The tears not enough to release her agony, Maya screamed into his singed fur.
Her cries were heard in all corners of Bowerstone.
Days later...
The doors opened and she forced herself to march forward.
With or without Von, the coronation needed to continue on as planned. It was supposed to be a day of celebration, but her heart was heavy and no smile graced her lips.
The sun was shinning and the courtyard was full to capacity, but the mood was somber amongst her companions. Her allies clapped as she passed them, but none dared look her in the eye. Word of her loss had spread among them and all feared for her well-being.
She spoke to none of them about it – what could any of them say that would make the loss less painful?
She stopped at the end of the runner and Walter raised the crown up high before slowly lowering it onto her brow. The gold circlet was hit by a ray of sunlight and gleamed out to the crowd as it finally touched her.
"All hail, Amaythea, the Queen of Albion!" Walter shouted to the audience, which burst out into cheers of joy and hope for the future.
Maya looked out at them with glassy eyes.
Von had wanted to be at her coronation, wanted to be there with her as she took on the greatest responsibility of her life.
But he was gone, never to come back.
Maya stiffened, fighting to hold back her tears and push aside the intrusive thoughts of him. But in the eyes of all her subjects, she saw the striking white-blue that was his.
In the late hours of the night, Maya lay awake in her bed.
Walter had convinced Hobson to leave her be, and for that she was grateful. She could not be held responsible for her actions should he have remained in her presence any longer.
She stared at the ceiling, wondering if she'd ever find meaningful rest again.
A sheet of darkness had been placed over her, and yet she did not want to wriggle free from it. Her memories were all she had, and yet they brought her tremendous pain.
Unable to lay still any longer, Maya tossed her blankets aside and slipped her legs over the edge of the bed. Clad in only a shift, she slowly made her way to her vanity. She felt weak and thin, but the thought of being any other way appalled her.
So long as she hurt, he was close.
She took her time, lighting candles sporadically around her room before returning to the vanity. The Crown lay on a plush velvet pillow to her side, but she didn't so much as glance at it. She stared at her reflexion in the mirror.
Her eyes were lifeless, her lips devoid of all colour.
Tears streaked silently down her cheeks, but she made no attempt to halt them. Instead, she calmly opened the drawers of her vanity and selected one of the expensive pewter brushes she'd been given. She brushed her hair, then toss the brush aside, not reacting when it slid off the vanity and clattered to the floor.
She searched the drawers until she found what she was looking for – a sharp silver blade her maid used to trim the stray threads from her gowns during fittings. She held it up to the light, watching how the flame of the candle reflected off of it.
Curiously, she eased back the sleeve of her shift to her elbow and rubbed the soft pale skin of her wrist. She wanted the hurt in her heart to stop and wondered if the physical hurt would be enough to take its place.
She remembered her conversation with Von on the dock in Bowerstone Industrial...
As convinced as he was ever going to get, Von hiked up his sleeve and showed her his bandaged wrist. Maya could see a long line of blood had soaked through the bandages, "Gods, what happened?" She reflexively reached out, but drew back her hands as soon as her finger tips touched his skin.
"I offered my blood to the grave of a loved one," he explained, "it's a way of telling the dead that you are sorry, and that...that you are pained by their absence."
His grave was far away, but she supposed the act was enough. She pressed the blade to her forearm until a small amount of blood bubbled to the surface. She winced, but continued, dragging the blade along her forearm until she had to stop in order to release the breath she'd been holding in.
She used a handkerchief to wipe away the blood, then pressed it to her flesh to absorb what continued to flow. It stung so badly it almost felt like a burn, but that did little to deter her.
Hiking up her shift, she pressed the blade to her stomach and made three long lines diagonally across her belly. They bled some, but not as fiercely as her wrist, and she added a forth and then a fifth. The crimson of her blood stood out against the paleness of her skin, but she didn't care about the consequences.
It felt good and tears of sweet relief cascaded down her cheeks, down her neck and to the tops of her breasts.
Before dragging herself into bed, she carved similar slices into her thighs and carefully wrapped the blade in a silk scarf and tucked it into the back corner of a locked drawer of the vanity. Her body pleasantly numb, she wrapped herself in her blankets and cried herself to sleep.
A/N: Whew! That was a tough one, I hope I captured Maya's pain well enough. Malakai will get what's coming to him, don't you worry - I've planned his end well! Next chapter – Von wakes up and receives the hospitality of Reaver ;)