"Hey Pandas?"

I looked down to where her head lay on my lap. Perfect lips. Perfect H/C hair. E/C eyes that I could drown in every time.

"Yeah Y/N?"

"Will you sail away with me?"

I shook my head and smiled.

"What?"

"Sail away. Across those seas. Will you come explore with me for a while? Just a little while I promise! Then you can return home or whatever."

My heart melted. It was so great to see her healing after her Da's passing.

"Course I will. Remember I'd burn the world-"

"All I need to do is ask."

She finished my line. I stroked her hair. Under that willow tree. Breeze of our childhood. Fading slowly.

"NICK SAPNAP GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Clay's voice made us jump.

"Sorry sweetheart let me go and take care of this."

I needed to get her out the building while he was in this kind of mood.

"Why don't you...go to the market and get some ingredients for cookies. Yeah we'll make them once you're back."

She tilted her head. But the idea of cookies made her smile and nod. I kissed her head before returning inside.

I breathed in.

He's going insane.

Breathed out.

You have to stay calm.

"Yeah Clay?"

He sat on a throne too big for him. His father's colours still draping from the walls.

"Finally. Lose your legs on the way?"

Before I could respond he brought his hand up to silence me.

Already comfortable in power and doesn't even have it yet.

"I need you to do something for me. Something you may not like."

I clenched my jaw.

"What is it?"

"I need you to make Y/N leave her seat in ruling."

I laughed.

"Very funny Clay. What's the actual request."

But he slouched back on the throne. My heart dropped to my stomach.

"No."

He shook his head at my response.

"Should have known your love struck mind couldn't wrap around it."

He rolled a dagger in his hand.

"I need her gone. As you know from our training, I have the ability with the placement of being king to control your powers once you have been knighted and crowned."

"However Y/N has shown in...recent events that her power has become unstable, irregular...wrong."

My anger was boiling as he spoke of her like that.

"I need her gone Sapnap. And you are the only person keeping her here. Get rid of her. Convince her that she's no longer wanted-"

"No-"

"Convince her that you've never loved her! Do it! Or I swear by my father's rotting corpse that I will send her to her grave!"

I shuddered.

He's...suggesting to kill one of his best friends?

"No...please I can't do that to her."

He stabbed the dagger down into the throne's wood.

"Do it or so help me I will."

I stood in the kitchen.

I can't do this to her.

Please I can't lose her.

Servants had been cleared out.

E/C eyes, smiling at me through my years. My best friend who helped me no matter what.

I heard the doors creak open and her footsteps as she walked in.

I couldn't even push myself to meet her gaze.

She pecked me on the cheek, burning my skin and killing me even more.

She started talking happily about how busy the market was or something.

My chest was pounding.

"Do it or so help me I will."

This is the only way she'll be safe!

"...but then again there were so many kids chasing each other as well an-"

"Shut up!"

I shouted out, starting the end.

My eyes snapped open as I felt something shift next to me. I looked down. And there she lay. The girl I had loved since I met her. Whose heart I had broken. She lay there, snuggled up to my chest, escaping the cold.

I never meant it. I don't regret it, it was the only way I could keep you safe. But I never meant a single word of it Sweetheart.

I pulled her closer. Next thing I knew glass was braking downstairs.

Aunt Puffy woke everyone, fear clear on her face.

"They're here! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

She shook violently. Drista grabbed her mom and bashed the balcony door open.

Y/N snapped up. She noticed how close we were. She shifted away quickly and grabbed gear. Tossed me a bag.

"Keep those and don't let it fall open."

She ran into the bathroom and brought out Minx.

Why was she in the bathroom?

"Minx start leading them away! Drista! Get your damn hammer!"

Loud footsteps rushed up the stairs towards us. I shoved past them to where the door to the small room was.

Y/N tried to move me.

"Sapnap not now! You idiot get out of here!"

I grabbed her wrist. Gently I kissed her knuckles and smiled devishly. Her breath caught and her eyes searched mine for an answer.

"Relax Sweetheart. Let me smash in some skulls. Get the rest out."

"Idiot don't try and be-"

I shook my hands and brought them together.

"GET OUT!"

I shouted behind me. The door splintered open.

The rush went through me as the flames burst into the soldiers.

"COME AT ME WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT OR IMMA MELT OFF ALL YOUR SKIN!"

I spat at the wailing, burning corpses.

"Oh I intend to."

His voice rose from the smoke.