𝒞𝒜𝒫𝒯𝒜𝐼𝒩

      camden HATED that they were doing this under cover of night. she understood why it was necessary, but it was all too familiar. camden had lost many a home in the darkness. she didn’t trust it. and yet nia needed this to be kept under wraps. part of her wasn’t sure what she was DOING there. she knew she couldn’t trust the ice queen not to betray her again.

       kai.

       honestly, that was the only reason she’d stayed AT ALL. now, between him and roan, camden had something to fight for. that something just so happened to make her wisest choice to be azgeda’s ally. ❝ you seem TROUBLED, azplana, ❞ camden mused as she approached, ❝ if you’re worried about roan, he’ll be fine. he’s stronger than you give him credit for. ❞

Her words cut through him like a knife, his whole life had felt that way, he was a prisoner, serving a life sentence for a non existent crime,perhaps their lives were not dissimilar at all, “Duty is both a blessing and a curse, I think that you and I have walked a similar path.” 

He had been only seven years old when he had been taken from his family, picked out by Pramheda as the child whose life was to be dedicated to her people. At first the unlimited access to so many artefacts, learning their history, being told how valuable an asset he was to Trikru was tantalising, he’d been entranced by the thought of power and glory but brought down to earth with the reality that such things come with a terrible price. 

“”Please sit, you need to have your abdomen against the back of the chair, pull your hair to the front,” he motioned her towards it, “It is imperative that you do not move when I place the flame, it will embed itself, but before that, I need to make a path for it, the blade will be close to the nerves of your neck and you risk paralysis should you flinch.”

       camden pursed her lips. that was certainly an...INVOLVED process. but she had agreed to do this and she knew there would be risks. so she followed his instructions carefully, positioning her body and her hair the way he’d instructed her too. and then she waited. what would it feel like, she wondered. WOULD IT HURT ? would it numb her to everything ? she knew more about the flame than most of her people, but parts of it were still A MYSTERY. a mystery she was about to discover the answer to.

       she let out a soft gasp when she felt the tendrils enter her body. it was...strange, like a pure jolt of energy going straight through her. she blinked once, TWICE, and then she could see again, though everything looked just a little bit different.

       ❝ everything seems...different yet the same. is that NORMAL ? ❞

       “i don’t know if a stab wound can really compare to having your fingernails torn out, but i’ll keep it in mind,” he mentions, and then his eyebrows raise at her comment. slowly his grin widens and he crosses his arms over his chest, looking her over. “second to yours, huh? i don’t think so; you’ve gotta play me.”

He considered her words, “Chains maybe but you chose to break free from them, this is different, this is not for you to mould and change, this is for you to continue the work of the first commander, to learn from each one, to become wiser, stronger and lead your people.” 

He circled her slowly taking in her features, “Then that makes two of us, I feel it is the right thing to do too.”

            “ We aren’t FIGHTING — ” that’s not entirely true. The pair squabble like siblings and maybe it’s because they were raised in close quarters as she’d entered puberty but he really does feel like a brother sometime. A brother she’d want to shove off a cliff. “ — we’re having a very immature discussion about Ice Nation things. ”

He thought for a while, considering how much she may or may not know, “You are right of course, children… infants in fact are usually the ones sent here - they do not need their parents to show them the ways of our people.” 

From what he had heard from both her and those who knew of her she was used to having her own way, used to living by her own rules, “Forgive me but do you think that you will be able to submit to what may become years of learning, years of training when you have tasted what it is to be free?”

      ❝ the way i see it, I DON’T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE. someone has to carry the flame, and since, if what i’ve heard is true, the only other natblida you know of refuses to take it, there aren’t a lot of options. i’ve been in CHAINS one way or another all my life, fleimkepa. becoming heda would just change the shape of them, not their weight. ❞ she had carved out a life for herself, sure, but she also knew what it was to SACRIFICE for the greater good. she’d lost friends that way, TOO MANY of them.

       ❝ i can’t guarantee i’ll be the perfect student, but i know a thing or two about sacrifice and duty. if you’re not WILLING to teach me, just say so. you know more about these things than i do and i RESPECT your decision. i simply wanted to make the offer. i feel it is the RIGHT THING TO DO. ❞

       “pretty well, actually,” murphy says, and the surprise is evident in his tone. his gaze turns to her— to his captain— and he gives her a lopsided grin. “think i could get used to it. “ah, i don’t get along with anyone; at least they’re not trying to KILL me. that’s a step in the right direction.”

Words caught in her throat , leaving the queen FROZEN — stiff just like her  h e a r t .  Her daughter was alive , despite being OUT OF REACH … and that’s ALL that matters . “ So she DID find him — ” And likely , he has long since taught her to rile AGAINST Azplana . “ Did she … SAY ANYTHING ? ” Anything at all ? 

      ❝ what are you and roan FIGHTING about this time ? ❞

      ❝ JOHN...how is life on the ocean treating you ? i hope the rest of the crew is treating you WELL ? ❞