The Court - Finished!

Maria

My iron grip was loosening, my resolve and willpower slipping away. The chill became stronger; it overcame everything. Even the pain went null. I was painfully aware of my life signs; my heartbeat and breathing began to become weaker. This fight was one that I couldn't afford to lose.

But death was stronger than I was.

He's too late... I'm going to die.

Daniel

Just the thought of Maria dying was next to unbearable. He could not afford another loved one dying. He got up slowly and ruffled his blond hair as when he did when he lived a normal life.

"We should go look for them" he said turning to look at them, refusing the idea of Maria dying.

"I agree with him" Krissy said, gettip up and leaving Jas sitted.

They had to do something, he didn't want to know that if she died he did nothing to prevent it. So he waited Krissy until Jas got up and joined them.

"Let's get going" and he led the way out of the court.

Krissy

I stopped as I stood up.

"Daniel, I can't leave the Court." I said painfully.

"Why not?" he turned around.

"The throne is open. People will just be killing one another to get the position."

Jas shook her head. "This position isn't mine. but I will guard the throne, go see your friend."

I nodded to Jas, "Thank you."

And I ran out of the Court, throwing on my cloak.

Daniel

He went out with Krissy. It had been many days since he was last in the city at a normal hour. The last time he was in the city was when he attacked the Birds and it was near midnight. So Daniel, enjoyed the city sounds and pictures, everything that surrounded. Even Krissy whome he admired every day.

"Do you where is it?" Krissy asked, searchin for a sign or something in every place.

"Yes, Lorraine used to take me there when I woeked for the Rogue" To mention her name was still a bit painful for him, it brought back too many memories for him to like. "We're near"

And they walked about ten more yards until they stopped at a little shop, or what looke like a shop. It had no windows and the facade was as withered as the whole city. The wooden door had cracks in every place.

"You sure, is here?" Krissy asked him.

"Really sure"

Jas

I paced in front of the throne, my footsteps echoing in the empty room. The maids had finished cleaning up the blood stains a long time ago and hurried out of room, avoiding any eye contact with me. I was alone.

I wondered where Kayla was right now. What had she done with the Rogue's body? And was she still plotting revenge? Maybe I should have gone with her. I could have talked her out of whatever crazy scheme she was planning... Or maybe not, I thought, shuddering as I remembered the look in her eyes when she'd run out of the room with the Rogue's body.

So now Kayla was gone, Lorraine dead, Grayson... well, who knew what happened to him. Things had definitely changed. I wasn't sure if it was for the better.

GRAYSON

"Maria," he whispered. His jaw clenched. "You better not die. Do you hear me? Do NOT die."

The old healer bent over Maria and shook her head. "Grayson," she said, calmly but sympathatically. "There's not much else I can do for now. It's this girl's battle...she has to fight for her life. And I don't know if she or anyone else for that matter, is strong enough."

Grayson shook his head. "Maria will pull through."

She just has to, he thought desperately. "The world wouldn't be the same without her. I haven't even know her for that long and yet I can't even imgaine a world without her now."

"Don't be foolish Grayson. Hope will only cause her death to be more painful," the old women growled.

"She's not going to die!" Grayson yelled. He lowered his mouth to her forehead, kissing her lightly and then moved to each cheek finally stopping just inches for her own lips. He placed his lips gently on hers, lingering for just a second and pulling away.

"Fight, Maria," he whispered. "I know you can. Fight. You're the strongest person I know, and I know that you can beat this. Please."

He stopped as a single hot tear rolled down his eyes and into her tangled locks. "I need you, Maria."

KAYLA

The Rogue's lifeless body sat in her lap. Tears were flowing freely down her face and her body shook with sobs.

She screamed out. One that spoke of bloodlust, grief, and revenge. She would find the Rogue's old followers and she would kill Krissy.

Kayla howled again. More importantly, she would kill the real murderer here. She would kill the traitor. The one she trusted the most. Grayson.

Lorraine...well maybe she stayed with the court to save her life. She didn't agree with it, but she would kill the girl too if she tried to oppose her. Kayla would gather followers and she would kill everyone who went against her.

"I'll do it for you, my love," Kayla whispered, lowering her mouth onto the dead man's lips.

Maria

I couldn't do this. It was just so hard, so painful... But I kept seeing Grayson's face. I couldn't leave him. Not after all of this!

After a long while holding on became easier. As time progressed I felt my life stop flowing. It stopped trying to leave. I slowly, cautiously, let go.

It stayed stable.

I gasped, and my eyes opened slightly. "Grayson?" I murmured weakly.

**Just so you know, I'd say this has probably been a few hours... but you know, whatever.**

GRAYSON

He smiled down at Maria. Her breathing had been getting stonger lately. Hope made his stomach hurt so much he thought he would be sick.

"Hey," he whispered, laying his hand softly against her cheek.

She grimaced a little so he moved his hand away to stroked her hair.

"No," she whispered. "It was a good pain."

Grayson laughed weakly. A door banged open as the grumpy old healer lead in a disheavled Krissy and Daniel.

"Maria!" Krissy gasped, fallinf to her knees beside her hed. Grayson moved over to give her room, never taking his eyes off the battered yet beautiful girl in front of him.

"Careful," he whispered to Krissy. "She's still weak and in a lot of pain. And I don't know how long she'll be able to stay conscious."

Maria

I smiled weakly. My limbs felt heavy, and my head was fuzzy. "Krissy." Krissy burst into tears and took my hand.

"We wer' so worried! I though' you were gonna die!"

I let out a weak laugh and immedaitely gasped in pain as pain spread up my side. "I'm fine Krissy." I closed my eyes. "What happened?"

Krissy

I smiled grimly at my friend, pushing hair out of her face.

"We beat 'em Maria, he's dead. Kayla's gone, Lorraine's dead too." I said.

Daniel flinched at the last part.

She smiled, letting out a sigh.

"Guess it's over now right?" she said softly.

"I know, what are we gonna do wit' ourselves." I laughed, wiping away the last of my tears.

"Get back to the Court Krissy, I'll be okay." She said, opening her eyes again.

I sighed, holding onto her hand a moment longer before rising to my feet. I nodded to Grayson before heading out the door. Daniel tried to follow, but I shook my head.

"Stay wit' Maria. All these years on my not trustin' Grayson hasn't change completely yet."

Daniel nodded in response turning back into the healer's room. Sighing, I took up a light run back to the Court, feeling my muscles ache like they hadn't in the longest time. I opened the door to find Jas sitting lazily on the throne. Relief washed over me as she stood up quickly and bowed.

"No need to bow Jas." I said, feeling a slight twinge of uncomfortableness when my once long time enemy, smiled.

Maria

I couldn't believe it. He was finally gone. Dead. I wouldn't have to see that cruel sneer, those terrible crazed eyes, ever again. But I felt a strange emptiness. What am I going to do with my life? My entire existence had revolved around destroying the Rogue for so long... I had no purpose anymore.

"What will I do now?" I asked nobody in particular.

Grayson smiled a little at her random comment. "You're going to be with me. And as sickening as I used to think those fairy tales were, it's going to happen. You're going to live happily ever after."

Maria looked at Grayson and they bst burst into laughter. Maria gasping in pain after a second or two.

"Sorry," Grayson whispered, leaning closer to her, patting an uninjured hand softly. Daniel stiffened as he neared her.

Grayson's eyes flared with anger and hurt. "You think I'm going to hurt Maria?" He questioned.

Daniel shrugged. "You've hurt a lot of innocent people," he replied. "And went after Maria before."

"Yeah. Before," GRayson replied. "We've all made mistakes. But you've killed too. Even innocents, I know you have. You're gang is only the lesser of two evils, but I'm not talking about that right now."

Grayson stood up, blocking Maria from veiw and raising his chin up a Daniel. Daniel was pretty tall, but so was Grayson. They stood almost nose to nose, Daniel looking almost uncomfortable with the confrontation.

"Listen," he whispered. "I would rather cut out my own heart than hurt a single hair on Maria's head. I think I've proven that. I was loyal to the Rogue, no denying that. But guess what? I love Maria more than anything. Anyone, actually. I helped kill the man I admired most to save her. I love her and I will never hurt her. Ever."

Daniel looked at him squarely and nodded. Grayson nodded back. He hoped that Daniel could see how much it really did cost him to throw that knife at the Rogue. Maria meant more to him than his owm meager life. He needed to see that.

"But I'm not saying I trust you," he replied. "I see that you do care for Maria, but that doesn't mean you've changed."

Grayson snorted. "Yeah, well not changing would cause a lot of drama between Maria and I. I made my decision when I saw Maria's blood spilt on the Rogue's floor. I'm with her no matter what. God I sound so cheesy."

He smiled down at Maria and lowered himself onto the floor beside her bed.

"Do you need anything?" He asked.

"Water?" She asked. Grayson nodded just as the old healer women came in with a glass.

"Here," she replied, shoving it into his hands. "She's too weak to lift her arms or head and I'm too old to be doing this anyway. You help her love dove."

Grayson rolled his eyes. Despite her bitter attitude, she did truly care about her patients. He turned to Maria and lifted her head up a little with one hand holding the cup to her lips with the other.

She yawned tiredly. "I feel like a child," she admitted sheepishly. Grayson grinned.

"I can't even imagine a child Maria," he replied. "That would certainly be an odd sight."

Maria

I smiled slightly. "Truthfully, I can't either." I hardly remembered anything of my childhood. Why was it that the happy memories were the first to fade, disappear?

The cool water running down my throat felt wonderful. It woke me up more.

"You're going to live happily ever after." Could it be true? After all of this pain, this darkness, could I really be safe and happy again? It seemed like it.

I saw that Daniel was standing tense and nervous by the bed, and I smiled at him. "Relax Daniel. Nobody's going to hurt me. You can go back to the Court."

GRAYSON

He smiled lightly at Maria. She still looked tired and hurt.

"Get some sleep," Grayson whispered.

"Why?" Maria asked. "I'm not tired."

Grayson laughed. "Normally I wouldn't want you to sleep but your body needs sleep to heal. We'll talk later. Sleep now."

Maria, still grumbling, sank lower in her bed and dozed.

Maria

I drifted in and out of sleep for a while. Every time I woke up Grayson was next to the bed, or somewhere in the room. And I always went back to sleep again, feeling safe and reassured.

At one point I woke up and didn't go back to sleep so qickly. Grayson was sitting next to the bed, talking quietly with Daniel about somthing. From what I caught, it sounded like Daniel had demanded an explanation about how he and I had gone from sworn enemies to closest friends, and further.

"Grayson," I murmured.

Grayson turned to me, his expression gentle. He put his hand on mine. "Yes Maria?"

I smiled slightly as I woke up a little bit more. I would get to tell him after all.

"Grayson," I repeated, taking his hand, "I... I love you."