Chapter 13: What Will Become of Us

Amun slowly walked into the cold water, letting it embrace every inch of his body. He still held his unconscious Queen in his hands and moved in until the water was just beginning to touch her body. He used his tail to take a bit of her weight before using one hand to clean her wounds. After removing all the acid blood he could see, he looked to her wounds. He gazed upon her smooth face and beautiful crown and was sad that he had to do what needed to be done. Thankfully she was still not awake as his fingers snapped her broken ribs back into place. Each time he did was a blow to his own heart.

Once they were back in place, he had to attend to her broken leg. He used his tail to keep her floating at the surface as he moved to check the wound. The bone had not broken the skin, but it had come very close. He placed one hand on her knee and the other on the second half of Emilia's leg. With a small but powerful jerk, Amun set her broken leg. The moment he did, she screeched awake and began to flail her limbs wildly. Amun quickly leapt on her to hold her still.

"Emilia! It is alright! I am here! Shhhh...it's alright." He cooed as he held the massive Xeno in his arms. He took a few strikes from her tail in various places, but held her tight. "Emilia, it's alright." She slowly calmed a bit before becoming aware.

"O god Amun...they're dead. They're...they are gone!" She said as she let out a low roar that could not be mistaken for anything but sadness."My daughters! Amun..o god" Amun held her tight and let her cry out in pain. his own sadness began to rise as he heard her cries.

"I...I know my queen. I...I was too late and...and they are...they are gone." He began to rock her back and forth while in the water, letting the water cool her down. She wrapped her tail tightly around him and he pulled her in closer.

"They came out of nowhere, as if they knew exactly where we were. Scarlett...Rowena...they fought so hard to protect everyone and give us a fighting chance. They saved me, they gave everyone a chance to build the cocoon. I...felt them die as the cave came down. Amun...I..." He cut her short.

"My queen, they did want the had to so that you could live on. They protected their family as best they could. We cannot hold that against them. I am proud of each and every one of them for fighting to protect their family." Amun's words calmed Emilia. She knew that her daughters would do anything they had to, she just wished that it had not cost them their lives. She had loved each and every one of them just as much as Amun did. She remembered every one of their births, every one of their personalities and their quirks. She had her family taken from her, one that she had fought so hard to get. She would never forget them.

Amun was taken a bit by surprise when he felt something craw onto his back, but once he saw Bobby swimming around him, he knew it had to be Abby. He could feel their concern for their mother. He watched as Bobby climbed onto her mother's belly and rubbed against her. Emilia moved her one arm and embraced her daughter tightly.

"When Bobby came into the cave, I panicked...I just grabbed her and pulled her inside the shell. I...I could have saved others." Amun shook his head.

" They you may not have been saved. That shell probably stopped the cave from crushing you, if it had not been done you may not have survived." He explained. He felt agreement from Bobby.

"It is true Mother, they gave up their lives for us. I felt them to when they were killed. I...I am going to miss them." Bobby let out a low thrum of sadness as Emilia held her close. They were all shocked when a quiet voice spoke.

"It...it was my fault." They all looked to Abby, who had her head hanging low. "If I had not been out with Father playing, he would have been there to save everyone."

"No Abby, none of this was your fault. And no one blames you . This was the companies fault. This Weyland. They have no humanity left and care not for other living beings." Emilia explained as she reached up and plucked her from Amun's shoulder. She brought her down to join her sister. "It is their fault my little Abby. They took your sisters from us, not you, or your father."

Amun could still feel that Abby felt a bit responsible for the tragedy and wanted to help ease her mind. He slowly began to walk deeper into the water, causing the smaller drones to abandon their spot on their mother's belly. Emilia too rolled into the water and began to swim, wanting to keep her weight off her bad leg. Amun guided their way into the clear blue water of the mountains, almost letting it wash away his families pain.

They did not swim fast, but rather glided with one another in a beautiful underwater dance. With such coordination that could only come from those who were mentally attached as they were. Around, through and under they all went, missing one another by inches but never touching. It was a peaceful sense of play between the four as their pain was gently taken away from them. They danced with one another for the better part of an hour before slowly making their way to the shore.

Amun easily scooped Emilia up into his arms because of her leg. Abby then helped Bobby climb onto his back before the four made their way into the wilderness. They walked in silence for a short while before Bobby broke it.

" Father, what now? Where will we go? What are we to do?" He had not really thought that far ahead yet, but it was a valid question.

" I do not know my daughter. We first need to heal our wounds, and to do that we need to find shelter."

"Perhaps another cave?" Abby asked.

"No! No... I think not." Emilia quickly cut in, the memories obviously still to fresh in her mind from the attack. Amun silently agreed, they had found out the hard way that a cave could be great shelter, but a tough spot to be trapped in. They would need something that would allow them to run if they needed, but keep them hidden so they could heal.

"If we do not need to be there long, perhaps a thicker part of the forest? One that is difficult to get to but open enough to escape from with ease?" Bobby suggested.

"That, I think, would be best." Amun agreed as they walked. It was then that he felt anger from Emilia, her tail wrapped around his waist and leg. "What is wrong my Queen?"

"I...I want them dead." Amun stopped in his tracks, the comment was a bit of a shock, but not unfair of her to say. Amun began to walk once again when she said nothing else.

"I agree with Mother." This comment came from Bobby which surprised him.

" I cannot tell you that I do not agree. I just want to live in peace with my family and I know that it will not happen as long as this company is alive, I know that now. I just wish we could without having to kill them to do it." Amun explained. When he had finished, Emilia squirmed a bit to indicate that she wanted to be put down. Amun tilted her so she could take her weight on her one good leg. She then hopped to the nearest tree and held it with her one arm.

"I want them dead Amun...they took our family and now I want theirs." Her words flowed with more hate than Amun had ever felt from her before. It was starting to scare him.

" Emilia, we cannot kill them all. Many of them were probably not involved with killing our daughters. Please don't misunderstand, I am beyond angry at them for taking my family, taking our family. But I do not feel that a mass murder will solve this, we ne-."

"I DONT CARE!" Emilia cut him off, turning around to face him. Amun's mind was assaulted with so much hate and anger that his had to wince at the pain. When he recovered and had the mental emotions in control, his gaze came back to Emilia who was huffing rather fiercely. He thought for one moment that she might leap and attack him, but knew that she knew better.

"Emilia...I just-"

"Don't Amun, don't do it. I know you will talk your way out of this, you are too smart for your own good. But please...just don't. Twenty six...I had to feel twenty six of my daughters die...right before me! My mind was so empty I...I felt so hollow. My mind was torn into pieces every time one of them was taken Amun, you have no idea what that was like!" Amun stood frozen as her mental words ran through his entire body. He had never felt this level of anger from her before, it was concerning.

"I do know Emilia, I had to look upon their bodies...still and dead...scattered on the ground like nothing more than trash that had been forgotten. Do you think I did not care to look upon my dead daughter's laying in the dirt? Do you think I am not angry or furious? Of course I am...but we need to-" His words were cut short as his head snapped to the side. Amun stood frozen, his acid blood now running down his face where Emilia's claws had cut deep with her attack. Amun's own anger began to take over and he was not sure he could contain it. He tried once more to calm her mood" Emilia...I kno-" She attempted to slap him a second time, only this time he was faster.

Amun grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him, however he moved out of the way at the last second to allow her to fly past him. As she did, he pulled down towards the ground, leading her towards it. With a loud crash, Emilia went face first into the soft grass. Amun backed away quickly to give his queen some space to think about what she was doing, but it was no use. Emilia was rage drunk.

"Abby, take Bobby away from here...NOW!" Abby helped Bobby to evacuate the area as fast as they could, knowing what was about to happen. Amun did not take his gaze from Emilia who had not give him any time, sprinted strait for him. Amun met her head on, knowing that his strength was greater than hers. When they collided she was the one who started getting pushed backwards from Amun's powerful arms.

With their crowns locked together, arms grabbing what they could, they pushed at one another. Emilia frantically trying to find the upper hand, but with one of her larger limbs missing it was difficult. Amun began to push her backwards towards the trees with ease but he was surprised when he felt something else touching him. It was Emilia's second set of arms, now extended from their resting place within her rib cage!

Her second arms now grabbed tight at his right arm, pulling it close to her. Her large arm now pushing up at the bottom of his crown causing his balance to be broken. Amun began to fall backwards as Emilia did not stop her attack. His legs were taken from under him and he impacted the ground rather hard. He had no time to recover as Emilia then pressed his head into the dirt and brought up her tail to strike. He panicked as he watched the blade descend towards his head!

Thankfully his strength and intelligence was his saving grace. He quickly grabbed her leg and pulled it from under the queen that stood above him, causing her to tumble and fall beside him. Amun then shoved her away from himself with his powerful legs in a double kick. He watched as Emilia slid across the forest floor, limbs flailing and vegetation being flung about. He stood up as quickly as he could and was shocked to see Emilia already up and running at him.

"ENOUGH!" He screamed at the raging queen. It did nothing to stop her, so he took matters into his own hands. Amun watched as she leapt into the air towards him, claws and tail ready to attack. But he was done fighting. He stepped to the side and caught her in the air and with his powerful arms, changed her direction back the way she had came. Only he did not throw her. Instead, he slammed her into the ground with enough force the trees shook. He made sure he held back enough not to seriously injure her, but enough to take the wind from her.

It had done just that. As the dust settled from the impact, Emilia was beyond dazed and could not gather herself to attack again. Amun thought quickly, he had to find a way to calm her down. He did the first thing that came to mind. While she was still on the ground, Amun quickly joined her and wrapped himself around her. His embrace was controlling, but gentle. Holding all of her limbs in place, but not harming her. As She gained her wits and realized that she was trapped, she roared.

"Emilia, please..." He said calmly. " My Queen please, you are breaking my heart. I have had so much taken from me already, I cannot lose you too. Please." She threw herself about wildly attempting to free herself from his grasp. Her screams of war piercing the mountain range. He had to keep trying, he had to bring her back.

"Emilia... do you remember how Katrina use to love put mud on your back when you were not looking? How much fun she had when you finally found it? Do you remember playing hide and seek with Julie, Nichole and Michele in the fields? How fast they could get away from you?" As he talked her screams slowly went from that of rage to sadness. It was working.

"Do you remember the first time you woke up and had Bobby, Thea and the rest of the first ten born, all surrounding you while you were suspended in the cave? How happy you were to look upon then? Please Emilia." The memories were not only effecting Emilia, but himself as well. Sadness began to wash over him. The full realization that his family had been taken from him was coming back, pulling him into that darkness that he had felt as he saw his family dead.

"Remember...remember when Suzan caught her...her first fish? How..how happy she...she" He could not find his own words within his own sadness. And as his sadness grew, it amplified Emilia's. As they both laid upon the grass, their struggle turned from that of aggression to one of comfort. Emilia turned to face Amun and buried her face into his rib cage. Amun in return wrapped his arms around her neck and rested his chin upon her crown. They both let out cried of sadness. They both missed their daughters.

As if summoned, Abby slowly emerged from the bushed with Bobby leaning against her. They came up to their parents who softly gazed at them and joined in their physical contact, climbing onto their crowns. They stayed like that for some time, grieving and letting out soft cries of pain. It was Bobby who spoke first a long time later.

"Father...what will become of us? This cannot continue." She was right, this pain needed a resolution, one that he feared would have to happen. He let out a long sigh.

" We will figure this out...as a family. But first, we need to take care of your Mother. She fought me with a broken leg and I have a feeling it's going to start hurting." Emilia's head quickly looked from Amun down towards her injured leg.

"O crap..." She said as the adrenaline wore off and her leg started to burn.