Cross My Heart

[Deleted]

Tag: Savannah & @kiawah

Note: Put this in AU since we don't know how the show is going to open! We can always move it to canon afterwards! Let me know if you guys want me to edit anything!

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

Vero could feel it the moment it ended. The onslaught of pain; any bliss ripped painfully from him . . . left only the pain coursing through his body. Or in one particular area. The impact had been enough to make Vero freeze, unable to move, unable to think. It was immediately felt in his hands and wrists, and yet that was not the first thing that came to mind. He doubted he was even fully coherent. Consumed with trauma, pain, and fear. Perhaps most of all fear. Not for himself. Not for the life that was suddenly stripped from him. But for another.

"Kia," he breathed, uncertain if the word was even uttered out loud. He opened his eyes, surroundings hazy, as he started to shove his way through the chaotic crowd. Wails, cries, screams . . . mixed emotions in all of them. The group was mixed of all clans, including Skaikru, but it was of no concern to Vero right now. His concern lay in Kiawah. He hadn't even fully pieced together the events that led up to this moment. Nor questioned the blood dripping down his arms. Adrenaline set in, and that was the only thing that forced him to take one step at a time. His body weakened by the injury no doubt, and whatever else he and the others had endured in the time they were within the City of Light.

He couldn't find him. With each passing second grew Vero's frustration. It wasn't until he saw a familiar face that he immediately pushed toward. "Have you seen Kia?" He asked, concern, even a frantic tone in his voice as he stood in front of Savannah. Kia. A name he never called the Emperor in the presence of another; he only used this nickname when they were alone. But disorientation got the better of him as he blinked rapidly, trying to clear the blurry vision that was Savannah. His forehead dampened with sweat, features paled. And yet, all he could feel was the fear for the other male.

[Savannah]

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE LIONESS
SHE HUNTS AND SHE NURTURES; SHE IS THE HEART OF THE PRIDE
TAGGED @vero & @kiawah	When the Yujleda warriors stormed into Polis with weapons at the ready, Savannah followed. It was a crime to bring weapons into Polis, but they decided that the safety of the Emperor was more important than tradition. They heard screams of pain in the distance and fighting as well... Sav knew that whatever happened, it was wrong, and following orders they went in after their leader. Savannah was prepared to fight, but she could see people climbing the commanders tower as they fought those who stood against them. They were civilians that didn't stop when they were knocked down. There were some who had been mortally injured yet they still came at them as though they felt no pain. It was a terrifying scene when just days before, Polis had been a beautiful city. Then, all at once, those who fought against the Yujleda warriors stopped. Some passed out, others fell in pain while some stared with confusion... they were snapped out of the dream-- whatever monstrous hypnosis that claimed them lifted, and Savannah was able to move in. Sav looked at faces; searching the crowds of screaming and crying people from all clans. They were clearly tortured... "What madness is this," she whispered to herself as she slipped her sword back into its sheath. She searched the crowd, seeing none of her people as she approached the tower. So many had fallen when the fog was lifted... it was a scene so gory and hostile that even Savannah's stomach clenched and churned. Then... Vero pushed through the crowd and Savannah's eyes widened. "The... the emperor? No..." her voice was soft spoken which was out of character for her as she took his arms in her hands and watched the blood pour from the gnarled wounds. She pulled out a ball of linen bandages so that she could work on stopping the bleeding until she could cauterize them properly. "Vero what happened here? Where--- where did you last see him?" She looked around hesitantly at the mess of dead and dying people... she couldn't help most of them. Vero had to have lost a dangerous amount of blood he needed immediate aid.

pyxis ★

[Deleted]

Kia was just inside the tower when the City of Light went dark, and judging by the screams behind him that grew fainter as the people following him up fell, he was lucky. He collapsed the the floor, muscles burning like they'd never had before, pain from climbing the tower searing into him that he hadn't felt during the climb. His hands and fingertips were bloodied from gripping rough stone on the climb. But once the shock of the pain passed, the first thing that had come to mind was Vero. He'd had the man he cared about more than anyone crucified, and then, realizing that wasn't enough, put a gun to his own head to force the man to take the chip. Where was Vero? Had he tried to climb the tower? He would have felt compelled to, and a sudden fear seized Kia. If he had made any progress on the tower at all, his hands would have given out eventually. Pain or no pain, his grip would have been weakened considerably.

Kia forced himself to his feet, not bothering to hide the pain on his face as he looked for an exit... but apparently Skaikru had come through the tower like fucking children and destroyed any way to get down. So Kia was forced to wait for a plan to be set to action to get them down. Either no one recognized him or no one said anything and the ache in his chest hurt too fucking much to talk, so he waited and listened. What was the use of identifying himself? It seemed like forever before he was being lowered down the tower on some sort of pulley mechanism. The entire time, he tried not to think of finding Vero at the bottom of the tower, his body twisted and broken. He tried not to look for the sight, but could not stop himself.

When he finally reached the ground, he stumbled to his knees before pushing himself back up. He had to find Vero. And... how much time had passed? Was his army here? Were they still alive? Find Vero first, he told himself, and forced his aching body to keep walking, looking for his large form among the living... and the dead. He called his name a few times, forcing himself through the crowded streets, and his heart leapt when he saw him, and Savannah with him. Certain now that Vero would be okay, considering he was with Savannah, he pushed himself into a run with what little adrenaline he had left.

He almost collided into them, his weakened state causing him to pitch forward slightly as he came to a stop. He gripped the front of Vero's cloak for balance without thinking and looked at Savannah, some small amount of relief on his face as he gripped her shoulder gently. "Sav," he said, voice weak, then looked up at Vero. As soon as he met the man's eyes, his own flooded with tears. He wasn't openly emotional usually, except when he was alone with Vero, but people were crying in the streets, wailing in agony. They'd all been through so much and no one would care in this moment about anyone else's tears, Emperor or not. He reached a hand up to touch Vero's cheek, but then hesitated, wondering if he even had the right to touch him after what he'd done.

"I'm so sorry," he manged to breathe, his voice creaking under the weight of his guilt, lowering his hand and his gaze as he let go of Vero's cloak. He felt a bit unsteady as a couple of unshed tears fell down his face. And then he saw Vero's wrists and reached for his arms automatically, pulling them forward by the elbows so as not to injure Vero more. "Why haven't your wounds been treated?" he demanded, though he had a feeling Savannah wasn't responsible for it.

Tag: @vero , Savannah

[Deleted]

Tag: Savannah & @kiawah

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

There was of course relief to see Savannah was alright. That she appeared to be without wound, and had seemed to get here just in time. But her response, left Vero still consumed with fear and worry. Disappointed at the fact that she had not see Kiawah either. It only made him more panicked. She asked what had happened, but Vero could not find the words to say that could properly describe the situation. It was one hell of a story. And how did he even start it? He glanced down as she started to pull bandages out and moved his hands away from her, letting them fall to the ground as he nudged them off.

"I don't . . . I can't remember," he answered in response to one question he could do so with: the last time he had seen Kia. He remembered a gun being pointed to his head . . . and then not much after that in terms of his whereabouts. Of where he had gone. He could be injured, or dead . . . the fear of that more crippling than his injury. And then he saw him. Or well, felt him at first. Vero looked at Kia, wondering if his blood loss had made his mind so fuzzy that he was hallucinating. But no. The man was real as he reached out to touch Savannah. The tears in his eyes were very real . . . and then his apology. One that Vero did not want to nor need to hear.

But relief numbed all else. The relief of seeing that Kia was alive. Weakened state, but alive. That was what mattered. And just as he had felt his heart pound so hard in his chest he feared it would exploded . . . he found a renewed purpose for its beating. His next actions were not done with thought. But rather, instinct. Actions not of the mind, but of the heart. He could not withhold it, nor suppress it. Not in this moment. He hadn't failed to notice Kia reaching out to nearly touch him. Vero would not show the same hesitancy. Not when flooded with emotion, a rarity that he permitted himself in the presence of their Emperor and standing in the public eye. But he did so, this time. Ignoring words of his wound, and any concern for them.

Vero reached forward and wrapped his arms around Kiawah. His head lowered to nestle it on the top of Kia's head. His palms faced outward, ensuring not to get any blood on his clothing but kept his arms around the younger male. Vero closed his eyes for several moments, feeling as if all else faded away; that no one else existed for a mere moment of his life. Just breathing in his scent, breathing in the relief. Eventually, Vero knew he had to pull away, slowly doing so. Meeting the gaze of Kia for a brief moment where he left the emotion and affection reveal itself upon his gaze, before reality quickly stuck him hard.

He lowered his arms, though he held no desire to and turned his body to face both Kia and Savannah. As if nothing had just happened. As if he had not just embraced the Emperor in such an emotionally charged hug. "We need to gather our people," he stated, looking over Kia to try and get a better sense of his physical state. He then turned to Savannah. "Tend to his wounds," Whatever they may be. Not wanting to shift focus, Vero reached for the bandages that Savannah had previously offered messily wrapped them around his wrists. He would get them looked at later. Right now, there were other priorities. "How many did you come with?" Vero asked, looking over the warriors that had accompanied her to Polis.

[Savannah]

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE LIONESS
SHE HUNTS AND SHE NURTURES; SHE IS THE HEART OF THE PRIDE
TAGGED @vero  & @kiawah	There was true fear in Vero’s voice that went beyond simple devotion. The fear in his tone and in his eyes was far greater than any physical pain—and as he made it impossible for Savannah to work on him she knew that whatever had happened before she and the warriors arrived... it was horrible. The crying and the wails of agony made every hair on her body stand on end as she fought the urge to help those who were too far gone. Her focus was on her friend and her emperor. They had to find him. The minutes felt like hours as she looked over the broken, crushed bodies of the fallen. What on earth compelled them to climb? She couldn’t understand it. She didn’t know what the city of light was, and Vero was far too grief stricken to interrogate. When the emperor’s voice, faint as it might have been, reached out from the crowd, Savannah’s knees nearly buckled with relief. Kiawah was their leader and though Vero would be incredible in his place, Kiawah’s survival was for the good of all their people. Though, even as Sav smiled and let out a weak breath of relief for her friend’s survival—the look in his eyes when he caught Vero’s desperate gaze was one that she’d never quite seen in such a light. She couldn’t make sense of it before Vero embraced him so intimately, without any hesitation. The emotion flooding from Kiawah made her heart clench and in that moment she was so.... so happy that he had Vero. The nature of it... was something that she never would have assumed, but in no way did she judge or find the exchange inappropriate. She knew they were close but... This was beyond devotion. When they pulled from each other, Savannah found herself swallowing hard and wiping away her own tears of both relief and fear. It was... it was an impossible situation and the fact that Kiawah was alive meant everything. Vero would let her save him—the emperor would have the ability to make him. Sav never had a chance. “Vero—Vero you’re losing too much blood. The wounds from the... pikes they,” he had to know he was bleeding so profusely. Kiawah needed medical attention but what he really needed was to rest. The way his breath came; tight in his throat and the cuts and scrapes on his hands told her everything she needed to know. Whatever haunting influence compelled the others to climb did the same to Kiawah. “Both of you—sit down,” she said a little harshly. She spoke with authority to get Vero’s attention. With his focus completely on the emperor, he seemed to be blind to his own injuries. She pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to Kiawah to drink from as she tried to guide them towards a stone slab so that they could stay close and Kiawah could rest. “Please—the only way I can help you is if you let me Vero, I promise I will help him. I promise, but we have to take care of you first,” her eyes flashed to the emperor, hoping he would back up her concerns as blood ran through her fingers. “Please... I need to know what happened here,”

pyxis ★

[Deleted]

When Kia felt Vero pull him into a tight embrace, he felt his fear disappear. The moment he'd laid eyes upon Vero again, a terror had seized him that Vero would never forgive him for what had happened between them. But the embrace was all that was needed. No words, not even to answer his apology. Kia knew he was forgiven immediately, and he threw his arms around Vero as well, pressing his face to Vero's chest as he attempted not to sob at the emotions that flooded him, trying to soak in the feeling of Vero's face pressed to the top of his head just for a moment. They'd come so close to losing each other. He didn't sob, but when Vero let him go, he sucked in a breath, trying to gather himself, and wiped wetness from his cheeks, not missing that Savannah did the same.

He was exhausted, but the shake of his head as Vero badly dressed his own wounds and told Savannah to tend to him, trying to jump back into his role as General and assess the situation. No, he needed help, more than Kia did, and Kia found himself grateful for Savannah's persistence in the absence of his own strength. Not that he expected any less of her. He ignored her harsh tone, and didn't resist her guidance toward the slab, putting his own hand on Vero's upper arm and guiding Vero as well along with her. He knew Vero was less likely to resist him than anyone else, and when they reached the slab, Kia lifted his hand and pressed Vero's shoulder down firmly but gently, to get him to sit. He'd caught Savannah's gaze, and understood the urgency of this, even if his energy was severely lacking.

Hand moving to the back of Vero's head, he leaned forward until he pressed his forehead to Vero's. "I didn't take that thing to watch you die. Let her help you," he said, his voice low and serious as he could muster. He'd taken the chip to save Vero, though he'd had no idea what it would lead to. Still, he was certain now he'd do it again. He took a step back to give Savannah room to work, but didn't sit right away. He took a long drink of the water, feeling the relief of it as it ran down his throat, but when he tilted his head back, he felt his body sway dangerously. Enough to finally persuade him to sit next to Vero, looking at Savannah, belatedly registering her question. "I'm not sure I even have the words to explain. It was like... a dream," he said, but then he suddenly wasn't sure if she was asking about what happened in Polis in general, or Agron's wounds. Everything felt fuzzy. "He was crucified," he said after a moment, then held the bottle up to Vero's lips, offering him a drink while Savannah had his arms occupied. "Were any of our people chipped or wounded?"

Tag: @vero , Savannah

[Deleted]

Tag: Savannah & @kiawah
 

Note: Sorry he didn't say much! He's a tad bit traumatized right now! hahah! If its hard to reply to leeet me know!

blood and battle

ARE ALL I HAVE EVER KNOWN

Vero took in Savannah's words, though everything sounded more distant than it should have. He wasn't sure if it was his increasingly hazy state, almost in a daze. From blood loss? From trauma? From relief? He hadn't the faintest clue. He only knew that he felt his body weakening, and was doing all he could to remain standing . . . wanting to make sure that Kia, and Savannah, and that the others were alright. At least as much as could be. Considering Kia's current state, Vero wasn't too sure about that. He just silently looked at Savannah, not objecting as they began to move somewhere. She seemed to know exactly what he needed to hear in this moment: a promise, that she would look after Kiawah. It was all he could focus on, still uncaring at her words of concern for his own injuries.

The pain still not fully felt, numbed by the concern and slowly diminishing fear over the thought of having lost Kia. Kia further encouraged her request, pressing Vero down to sit on the slab; the larger man in full compliance. He closed his eyes as Kia's forehead touched his own, feeling his warm breath against his skin and basking in it. His words a reminder than he had taken the chip, to save him. Where did they go from here? Vero hadn't the faintest clue. Would they even discuss this? He didn't know.

All he knew right now was that two people he so strongly cared about, were safe -- for the most part. And that, gave him the greatest relief of all. He slowly nodded his head in response, opening his eyes and immediately feeling the deprivation of Kia's closeness to him, though he knew he had to allow what both Savannah and Kiawah had asked of him. Vero removed the bandages he had messily put on, revealing his wounds as he looked at them. For the first time, actually looking at them.

Two holes in his wrist. Kiawah's words explaining that he was crucified sending flashes in his mind of the process. A sudden surge of pain coursing through him, remembering the way the nails were hammered into his wrists. And the sight of a gun to Kia's head. The image enough to make Vero close his eyes for a brief moment and cringe, turning his head away. It was in this moment that Vero also realized . . . he would not be able to hold a weapon or fight until he was fully healed. How then could he protect the Emperor?

How could he protect anyone?! A new kind of fear washed over him as he held out his wrists for Savannah to inspect and tend to, and opened his eyes once more. Words seemed to fail him, though he knew he should say something . . . hating that his expression seemed to wear his emotions, lacking strength to conceal them. "Fix it," he breathed, as if the thought of not being able to fulfill his duty as warrior was suddenly worse than death. He looked to Kia for a moment, feeling like a failure. Feeling as if he had failed him. Gaze lingering before he turned to Savannah. "Please." Because he needed to be fixed.

[Savannah]

DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE LIONESS
SHE HUNTS AND SHE NURTURES; SHE IS THE HEART OF THE PRIDE
TAGGED @kiawah & @vero	Savannah’s eyes were on Vero’s; watching as the haze of bloodloss and emotion caused him to drift. She tied chords tight around his arms, above his wrists to stop the blood from flowing faster than she could handle it. With no flames close by she could not safely cauterize the wounds but she feared that she would need to if they didn’t respond to alternative methods. The only thing bringing him back from his drifts seemed to be Kiawah. Mention of him calmed him enough to allow Savannah to work, which she did—quickly. She tied cleaned the deep holes; taking out splinters from the ugly wounds. He was crucified. She looked up at the others; the dead bodies atop the crosses. They were in a pit of death and dismay—a healer’s nightmare. Too many bodies, too many injuries, so many that couldn’t be saved. All she could do was focus on her brothers in arms—her Emperor and her friend. “Chipped? No... Maybe—I don’t know,” she was sure that the earlier wave of Yujleda warriors had suffered a similar fate. “When we got here, the fighting ended quickly... before everyone began waking up,” it was the only way she could describe it. She pressed her teeth together firmly as she held his wrists tightly. As she wrapped them in a thick cloth, she pressed the cloth into the wound along with some medicinal herbs to help slow the bleeding. She tugged the tight chords off his arms and held his hands for a moment with eyes intent on Vero. “If you die on me I’ll pull you back from the light and kill you myself.” Kinder words may have been appropriate but she’d used up most of her gentle ‘bedside manner’. She took Kiawah’s hands and checked them for breaks with her teeth bared in a feral grimace. “Who did this. Who caused this?” her voice was dripping with fury; ready to slaughter anyone who was involved with hurting her people so severely. “Who did this to Vero?” she didn’t understand. She didn’t understand how a ‘dream’ could turn men into such beasts. She wanted justice... She had never seen Vero defeated. She’d never seen Kiawah with such a heavy look of regret... They had to do something. Anything... She worked fast on Kiawah’s hands and pressed cloth soaked in herbal water and alcohol against the wounds to clean the dust, dirt and stone from them without warning of it causing pain. In this filth she needed to be thorough.

pyxis ★

[Deleted]

It broke Kia's heart to see the despair in Vero's eyes, as he seemed barely able to speak. He held Vero's gaze as he looked down at him, obvious pain in his gaze before asking Savannah to fix his wounds. Kia lifted the arm closest to Vero and gripped his shoulder from behind, ignoring his own injuries, to offer some small support as Savannah started to work on his wounds. She obviously didn't know what 'chipped' meant, but he understood why when she told them the fighting ended quickly when they arrived. Kia felt relief at that, that his people missed the worst of it. And her assessment of them 'waking up' seemed appropriate. Kia only watched her work until he she made her threat against Vero. Kia huffed an amused breath before he could stop it, his lips curving into a barely-there hint of a smile. "I would be next in line," he mumbled. They were so lucky to have Savannah. Her spirit, her loyalty... Kia could have asked for no one better to call their healer and his friend.

The almost-smile faded quickly, though, both from exhaustion and from her turning her attentions to Kia's hands. And watching her demeanor shift again, demanding to know who did this... Kia's chest ached to see. She wanted blood. And there was no blood to be had. But his chest only hurt worse when she demanded to know who inflicted the wounds on Vero, and Kia closed his eyes, unsure he could answer. He mostly ignored the sting of alcohol on his cuts as she cleaned his injuries, his frown only deepening a bit with certain areas. "I did," he said after a moment, not opening his eyes. He didn't drive the nails into Vero's wrists himself, but he might as well have.

"The chip," he started, feeling the need to explain. "It robbed people of their ability to feel pain. Of any sort." He was incapable of understanding the consequences of his actions in such a state, though he did not offer that. After a moment, he looked back up at her. "There is no blood that can be had for this. There is only so much to explain, and it all sounds... impossible," he finished, his voice growing less steady, though whether it was from emotion or tiredness, he wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't sure he could explain what had happened right now. Not until he rested enough to keep from sounding insane.

Tag: @vero , Savannah