The Throne I Left

Johan tok off through the cave, leaving the rest of the mementos and whatever memories they contained, far behind. A stuttering Note followed him a second later.

He ran through the cave, trampling blue flowers beneath his feet. The entrance got closer and closer as he ran, and through it another field of blue flowers came into view.

There she was- Bang!

He slammed into something, then for a long second he was weightless. His back hit the soft flowers on the ground- hard. He groaned, vision spinning uselessly as he tried to figure out what hit him.

“Be careful, she put up a shield.” Note’s extremely unhelpful voice spoke from above, three copies of him entering Johan’s field of view. At least he managed to look slightly concerned while Johan gathered himself, offering a hand when Johan started pushing himself back up.

Back on his feet, Johan reached forward only to feel an invisible wall keeping them out. Angrily, he hit his fist against it just once. “Damn Wrath’s powers, why would someone so violent get a shield anyways?”

“I don’t understand.” Note suddenly whispered, a mixture of shock and trepidation on his face. “This isn’t like her at all.”

Johan followed his eyes.

He had to take a step closer to Note, but then he saw her. Signe was right there! Kneeling on the ground…

Johan paused, eyed widening. He couldn’t be seeing right. Signe was kneeling on the ground, right in the middle of the blue flowers, blindfolded and with her hands tied behind her back. She was fighting against it, her teeth showing like a wild animal.

Maybe they would have to break through the mountain wall.

Now that they were closer, Johan could hear the yelling so loudly even his ears hurt.

Then he noticed Wrath. She stood far away from Signe, still as a statue, and was watching Signe with an unreadable expression on her face, her arms crossed over her chest. Johan hit the shield but she didn’t even glance their way.

Johan gritted his teeth in frustration, but there was a small consolation. From where he stood, Johan had a good view of Wrath. He could see how battered she was. Signe had at least put up a good fight.

Suddenly Wrath’s face twisted.

Johan froze as Wrath started walking. Slowly, making no sound. Like an animal with their eye on their prey.

“She wouldn’t do anything.” Note muttered. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

They watched in suspense as Wrath went closer, coming to a stop right in front of Signe, and kneeled down. Signe didn’t seem to have realized Wrath had moved at all, continuing to yell. Then suddenly Wrath raised her hands, gently grabbing the sides of Signe’s face.

Signe fell silent.

The seconds ticked by but Wrath did nothing. After a few moments Signe started pulling away but Wrath held her firmly in place. Signe let out a shaky breath, gritting her teeth.

“Who are you?” Wrath’s question came out more like a demand.

That clearly wasn’t what Signe was expecting, her face shocked and affronted.

“Who am I?! Are you stupid!? Let me go and I’ll show you exactly who I am! Let’s see if a four year advantage is enough for you!” Signe yelled, starting to struggle again, then threw her head forward, catching Wrath off guard and sending her head swinging back, eyes widening at the roof.

However she didn’t seem affected by the whiplash at all.

Within a second she was back up, grabbing for Signe’s face again. Then she was kissing her.

Johan jaw dropped, eyes widening as he stared. Beside him, Note made a sound, something Johan could only describe as being conflicted, to be happy for his friend or outraged for his sister. Johan had no such conflicts.

The kiss ended and Signe only sat there as Wrath embraced her.

“Signe..” She murmured into Signe’s shoulder, clutching her with all her strength. Signe breathed heavily as she sat there in disbelief.

Then Wrath finally backed off, pulling the blindfold off at the same time. Signe didn’t say a word as their eyes met, her face carefully blank. Wrath cleared her throat, glancing at her throat for a second before looking back.

“Signe…” Wrath touched her face again, a thumb running carefully over her cheek. “You’re here. Alive.” She spoke in disbelief, sounding like she couldn’t believe it. Signe didn’t nod, didn’t acknowledge it at all, just stared right back at her with a slight frown.

Wrath pulled off her cloak, unbothered by the lack of response, and threw it around Signe’s shoulders.

“Do not leave me again.” She ordered, staring intently at Signe who still seemed to be catching up to the situation.

“You..”

“I love you.” Wrath continued. “Marry me.”

Just when Johan thought it couldn’t get worse.

“You hate me.” Signe immediately insisted, eyebrows going up to her hairline and she reeled back, the words finally snapping her out of her shock.

“I have never hated you.” Wrath grumbled back.

“Yes, you do!” Signe burst out. “All you used to do was follow me around, glaring at me all the time, getting me angry on purpose- all so I would fight you! You did it every single day!”

“I was…curious about you.” Wrath started hesitantly. “You were the first person that ever beat me. You are my equal, you are mine. My...” She faltered off, seemingly not finding the right word. “I love you.”

“Let me go.” Signe said quietly, her words holding no emotion. Wrath clenched her fists but made no move.

“Let me go.” Signe repeated insistently. Wrath slowly shrunk back, lips pinched in disappointment, before leaning in and untying Signe’s hands behind her back.

Signe watched as Wrath stumbled back to her feet and with newly-freed hands Signe let the cloak fall to the ground. Wrath clenched her jaw, looking away at the clear rejection. Johan almost felt bad for her.

But then Signe lunged for her and Johan’s jaw dropped in horror.

Arms wrapped around Wrath’s neck, and Signe held herself off the ground, her feet bending up at the knee behind her. Their lips met.

Wrath staggered back in shock, but after a moment she melted into the kiss, her hands coming up to clutch around Signe’s waist.

Johan’s forehead hit the shield, eyes clenching shut. His head hurt.

Then the shield disappeared and Johan almost fell forward. Luckily Note’s big arms caught him.

They shared a long look. A silent conversation where they agreed about how weird this all was. Looking back at the couple, Johan saw that Signe was finally back on her feet, her hands wrapped around Wrath’s waist and grinning up at her as Wrath was occupied with placing an ear cuff perfectly around Signe’s cartilage, a small but bright smile on her face.

Johan approached cautiously, Note right ahead of him.

“Vero!” Note yelled, getting both their attention. He stormed down the small hill, ignoring Signe’s happy cry for both him and Johan, and abruptly came to a stop in front of them. “Why didn’t you tell me?! I thought you hated her!”

Wrath just shrugged at him, throwing her arms around Signe as she finished with the earcuff

Over Note’s outbreak, Signe turned to Johan, yelling over Note with a happy grin. “I’m getting married!” She jumped happily on her feet, her eyes disappearing into crescents. “Can you believe it? Vero doesn’t hate me.”

She seemed pleasantly surprised and Johan could only shake his head fondly, unable to keep from smiling along at her contagious cheerfulness. Even if the situation was questionable.

“She better not.” Note huffed, suddenly switching to protective brother mode.

“I don’t.” Wrath said seriously.

“Good.” Note snapped, then a smile broke out on his face and he closed the distance to softly punch her arm. He started tearing up, hand slapping over his mouth. “You’re getting married!”

Johan wasn’t sure what to feel. Signe only found out a minute ago that Wrath even liked her and now they were already engaged?

“I hate to ruin the mood but isn’t this moving too fast?” Johan started and all three of them turned to him. He kept his eyes on Signe. “I thought you hated her? Any time Wrath is mentioned around you, you get angry. Is this really what you want?”

Signe didn’t say anything, only frowned thoughtfully.

“I have loved her for half a decade, it isn’t moving too fast.” Wrath answered Johan first, tightened her arms around Signe who only laughed at the possessiveness. Then Wrath faltered, just a little, and she turned her attention to Signe. “But I will wait, if that’s what you need.”

They smiled softly to each other.

Johan hated to admit it, but he could believe it. After going through all the mementos and the feelings attached to them.

He sighed and Signe turned to him with a smile, biting her lip.

“I can’t believe you.” Johan huffed. Then softened. “I can’t believe you’ll be the first of us to get married.”

Signe broke out in laughter and turned in Wrath’s arms to hug her back.

Good. Johan nodded tensely. She should be happy. As long as she was happy it would all be okay.

Johan shared a long look with Note. They needed to talk.