Sable

Sable's mind spun with thoughts of the kiss, thoughts of how she felt, thoughts about what Conor had said. Friends. For now. His words- though they had only been a whisper- rang loudly in her ears. Her heart still beat loudly, and quickly. It was hard to focus on the fact that she could see the castle off in the distance.

Hard to focus on the fact that she needed to confront Lucca. She sucked in a deep breath and shook her head. Conor noticed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Well have to split up," Sable said. They approached the castle gate, which was unsurprisingly open. Conor's head spun toward her instantly. "Lucca will want to see me right away. You need to sneak away and gather the army without him knowing that you're here."

"Sable..." he sighed.

"I'll be fine," Sable pursed her lips. She let go of his hand and gave his shoulder a gentle push. "Now go, before they see you."

Conor pulled her into a tight embrace, and she returned it. A few moments passed before he let go of her. He took her face into his hands.

"Be careful," he said. She nodded and he let go. "I'll come for you once I've done what I need to. And Sable, please be safe. My brother can be... unpredictable sometimes. He was not always a good man."

"I promise," Sable said.

With that Conor took off, and Sable focused on the task that she had at hand. Lucca was waiting for her somewhere in there.

As soon as she had set foot in the courtyard guards sprang upon her. Sable held her hands up in front of herself defensively.

"It's just me," she said, "the reincarnation of Inara. Although I'm sure you can tell... because I look exactly like her."

"His majesty has been searching for you for a while," one of the guards said. They both lowered their weapons, and then the one who spoke walked over to her. "He's waiting for you inside. I would like for you to come with me, and I'll take you to him."

Or you'll take me by force, Sable thought, remembering how she had been treated before she had escaped. Sable nodded at him and held her arm out, for him to loop his through hers.

"Please," she said. "I would like to have a private audience with him." She held her head high, and in that moment- even though she was a good foot shorter than the two guards- she seemed like the tallest person in that courtyard.

"Of course, my lady," the guard said. He bowed deeply before looping his arm through hers.

The power and authority Sable felt in that moment must have been how Inara had felt throughout her stay at the castle. Or had she been treated as roughly as Sable had been, her first stay there? She decided that it didn't matter, as the guards guided her along through the castle. Sable would be stronger than Inara had ever been, she thought. It was something she felt was very necessary.

Surprisingly she no longer felt the slightest bit nervous, even as she got closer and closer to where Lucca was. She could feel his presence, like a moth drawn to a burning flame. Or more like a lion ready to go in for the kill...

She shook her head. Lucca wasn't quite an enemy- he just wasn't someone that she could trust. It was go time, she thought as the doors to Lucca's study were pushed open.

"Leave us," Sable demanded, pulling her arm free from the guard. She clasped her hands together behind her.

Hurry up now, Conor. She thought. I can only stall this unpredictable man for so long. She carefully ran her fingertips over the blade she had concealed, while the guards bowed respectfully and left the room.

"Sable," Lucca said as soon as the doors were shut. "I deeply regret letting my emotions get the best of me, and abandoning you to the care of my brother. I see now that it was not the best course of action to take. What has happened to him, may I ask?"

He seemed so different- more maleficent. Sable quelled her fear and stood her ground, holding her head up higher. Her suspicions were beginning to feel more and more reasonable.

"He's fine," Sable said shortly. "I wanted to talk to you. About why you had Conor work with me; which was actually the best idea you've ever had. I have learned quite a bit from him, and because of him."

Lucca paled.

"You know nothing," he hissed.

How had Inara trusted this man? He appeared no better than the demon Finnian, who was obsessed only with obtaining her powers. Was that Lucca's motive in the long run?

"You seemed so kind to me in the beginning," Sable said, smiling sadly. "But I now see that was just a facade. We haven't seen each other in a while... And the last time we spoke, I had asked you a question."

"That you should not wish to know the answer to," Lucca warned her. "I have not always been a great man- and I do not claim to be one still."

"I know that," Sable sighed. "You've lied to me; about a few things. Inara was never originally the goddess of nature. That wasn't her original position, or status."

Lucca looked away from her, his gaze out the window by his side. Sable stepped closer toward the center of the room.

"I bet you couldn't stand it," Sable said, in a much lower voice than before. "She was the goddess of love- more specifically... of romances, affairs. Anything related to it. She accepted your proposal, but only because it would have offered her a great amount of protection. You would have made a powerful ally to her. Tell me the real reason you chased her for an eternity- or am I right in assuming I already know the answer?"

"Originally," Lucca's voice shook, "I... wanted her powers. All of them. I have- taken the powers of several gods. And I knew how their ranks worked: a sliver of the title got passed down to whatever god remained in existence, with the passing of a god. All of that power building up within her... it was so tempting."

"But the threat of the demons was so great," he continued. "Finnian is also very powerful- and has also absorbed the powers of many gods. I decided joining Inara in her fight against them would prove more beneficial than killing her and taking her powers. An alliance with her, having two people instead of just one..."

"That, and you fell stupidly in love with her," Sable said.

"Yes, well," Lucca shrugged. "There's that, too."

He turned back toward her. And took a step toward her. Sable gripped the handle of her blade tightly and took a defensive stance, ready to fight if necessary.

"Join me," Lucca said. "Please. Help me finish what she and I had started."

Sable remained silent and in her defensive stance. The hope in Lucca's expression disappeared, replaced by determination.

"I know she didn't love me," Lucca said. "And I know what her true nature was. I know that she wasn't faithful to me. But I did love her. Sable, please."

He stepped even closer to her, and his eyes glowed that violet colour she remembered seeing before. He was up to something, but she was a lot stronger than she used to be and knew far more about herself than before.

"Lucca," she said.

"Then if you won't join me, I'll just take your powers for myself," he exclaimed, and lunged at her.

"You can't!" Sable yelled.

She swung her blade out, slashing at him. Magic flowing from her added more force to the attack. Lucca stumbled backward, and Sable admired the deep, bleeding gash she could see through the tear in his shirt.

"You should consider wearing armour," she said quietly. She grinned down at him.

Lucca snarled at her and regained his balance, lunging at her again with his fangs and claws out. Sable shrieked and side-stepped, dodging his attack. She countered by forcing the blade into his side. Lucca spat out a mouthful of blood and stumbled to his knees. Sable stared at him with wide eyes, unsure of whether or not to feel scared or proud of her work.

The doors to the room burst open then.

"Sable, let's go," Conor said.

Sable nodded, pulled the blade from Lucca who let out a grunt of pain and collapsed fully onto the floor, and then ran out after Conor. Conor caught her arm and allowed Lucca one last glance of worry before leading Sable away.