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The walls, rusty and tall, reeked of grime. Poised on her knees, the rough cobblestones dug into Kori’s knees. The chains, cold on the bridge of her wrists. Iron burned at the tip of her tongue. Dried, crusty bread and water lay untouched off to her side. Her brain mocked every second of her refusal to eat. And yet, her heart fueled her protest. Giving her an unwavering determination not to yield to her sister's tyrannical ways.
Shrouded in shadows, Kori slumped against one of the walls. Not a shred of light enters her prison chamber. She longed for the warm beams of the sun on her skin. The fire that burned in her, was now extinguished. Still hope burned in her heart. For her parents. For her subjects. Kori would fight till her last breath.
The ghastly silence is pierced by the clicking of the lock. The door screeches open. Kori expecting a prison guard to retrieve her untouched meal is taken aback by her sister. Draped in the finest garments, Komand’r looked like a queen. Refusing to look at her sister, Kori trains her gaze on some cracks on the floor. Paying no mind to her sister's judgemental eyes.
Heels clicked against the pavement as Komand’r stood in front of her sister. Tense silence ensued. “You poor thing. Look what they have done to you.” Komand’r lifts her sister’s chin.
Kori blinks. Surprise overtook her features. She had longed for affection in the past week. She wants this to be real. Wants her sister's care and affection. No matter how much she wished, the truth lay in front of her. Her sister's gentle voice could not conceal the venom in her eyes.
Kori slaps her hand away. “I do not need your pity.” She says firmly.
“I am not pit—”
“Why are you here Komand’r?” Kori cuts her off.
“Can’t I just miss my sister?” She drawled, tapping her finger on her arm.
Kori doesn't know how to answer. Kori isn't sure if Komand’r ever truly loved her.
“ If you’re gonna be cold. Then, fine.” Komand’r snaps. “I need you to give me back what is rightfully mine.”
Kori wants to laugh at that. “I never took anything from you. Your decisions have led you to where you are. I nor anyone else has anything to do with it.”
Her sister always thirsted for power. Even back when they were still young. Komand’rs eyes bled with envy whenever Kori touched a higher branch or best her in a spar. Her sister's helpful critiques morphed into snide comments and remarks. She grew distant, straying from their parents. It all came to its climax when Komand’r was exiled. She let darkness and jealousy guide her actions. Kori still held the scar from her sister's final strike. Deemed too violent and selfish, Komand’r was cast out. Automatically making Kori heir to the throne.
“Our parents always favored you.” Komand’rs tone is laced with venom.
“You will not speak about them in such a manner.” Kori snaps. Their trampled bloodied bodies flashes before her eyes. Tears burn her vision as the room falls into silence again.
Komand’r glared at her sister. Anger burned in the pit of her stomach. She has been denied her right to the throne. She clenches her hand into a fist. She needs to stay calm. The throne will be hers by the end of the night. And the key to the throne sat before her.
Komand’r crouches down to her eye level. Kori watches as she eyes the food abandoned at the corner. Sighing Komand’r looks back at her sister. “ Don’t make this any harder than it already is. The Citadel has redeclared war on us. I have heard rumors that their army is twice the size as last time. You have no experience in politics. Our people are in mourning. Do you truly believe that you will be able to lead our kingdom in such dark times?” Tears dripped down Kori’s face. Her retort of saying that her sister had used the kingdom's fragile state to stage a coup slips from her as a pin in Komand’rs hair catches her eye.
“Alright.” Kori is finally able to mutter out. “ You are right. I am not fit to lead. I will abdicate the throne back to you.”
Komand’r narrows her eyes. “What are you playing at sister?”
Kori was never a deceitful person. She let her emotions run free. Wearing them on her sleeves. But this was different. These lies are based on her emotions. She takes in a shaky breath. “I will not be able to lead the kingdom when I too am in mourning.” Kori looks at her sister head-on. “ If this is the only way to have my sister back, then so be it. “
Komand’rs mouth agape, Kori doesn’t hesitate as she jumps on her sister. Pulling her into a hug. “ I have missed you Komand’r.” Kori’s fingers dig into her sister's hair as she tightened their embrace. Komand’r doesn’t hug her back but Kori doesn’t mind. Eventually, Komand’r pulls away. She brushes off herself as she stands back up. Annoyance creased her eyebrow, not appreciating Kori soiling her clothes and hair.
“Good. You’ve finally come to your senses.” Komand’r starts to step towards the door. “I’ll have someone come to retrieve you by evening. Until then, do eat the meals they have given you.”
Clutching the pin in her fingers, Kori’s heart thunders in her chest. Kori knows her sister well. She knows that Komand’r is still suspicious of her. She can’t let her sister find out. This is her only chance at escaping and stopping this coup. The hair on her neck stands up as the door slams shut and the lock clicks back in place.
Darkness engulfed her prison once again. Kori didn’t dare move. Fearing that her sister would return any moment. Kori counted each second. But the lock stayed shut and the door remained closed. Breathing in a sigh, Kori takes the pin and starts to work on her chains.
Triumph fills her as the chains clink free from her wrists. Now with her hands-free, Kori grudgingly takes a bite of the dry bread. If she is to escape, she needs all the energy she can acquire. She forces the bread down her throat. These meals made her truly appreciate the freshly cooked dinners she shared with her parents.
After she is done, Kori has nothing else to do except wait for the door to open. She goes over what course of action to take. Her main priority is to get out to the sun so she can use her powers. Kori’s nerves grow as the minutes stretch on.
Finally, the door reopens. A guard stands on the frame. Kori doesn’t hesitate as she smacks the food tray on the man. Surprise overtakes his features as he slams against the wall. Kori jumps to her feet, snapping the door shut behind her.
Her heart racing, Kori takes in her surroundings. She’s standing in a narrow corridor. At the end is a window. Kori flinches when she hears a curse behind her. Another guard stands behind her. Coming back to her senses, Kori sprints towards the window. The guard chases after her, calling for reinforcements. Voices and shouts emerge behind her as Kori reaches the window.
Slamming the window open, Sunlight creeps into the corridor. Warmth and power bloom in her. She feels her flight and star bolts return. Her eyes glowing, Kori releases all her energy.
– – – –
Tugging at the guard uniform, Dick eyes the soldiers that pass him. Their voices lowering as he passes them. Abandoned by the royal family about a century ago, The halls and corridors of the castle are rusty and crumbling. The Royal Court and kingdom have been in shambles in the last week.
The kingdom was already in mourning from the deaths of the king and queen. The Citadel had invited the king and queen to sign a peace treaty only for them to be murdered in cold blood. Dick never got the chance to meet them. To busy training to join the royal military and determined to forge his own path. Away from his adopted guardian. But from what he had heard they were admirable rulers and even better people.
Just a few days later, Komand’r had staged her coup. Capturing the crown princess and taking shelter in the castle Dick is currently in. The Royal court erupted at that. The king and queen's funeral barely had subsided when Princess Koriand’r was captured.
Bruce had said that the timing was too convenient. He had theorized that Komand’r may have had something to do with the King and Queen’s death. Most of the court agreed. If Komand’r had truly sided with the Citadel… If she were to become queen… Dick shakes away those thoughts. The only way that she can become queen is if her sister were to abdicate the throne back to her. Thus, the kingdom waited. Awaiting some sort of message only to be met with silence.
Dick had become impatient. Annoyed at the Royal Court and Council of Justice. They said they couldn’t do anything until they heard from Komand’r. Dick obliged at first. But after one of the recent messengers didn’t return, Dick couldn't stand back anymore.
Gathering the Titans and infiltrating the rundown castle was easy enough with his charm and wits. Finding the crown princess without causing a scene was a whole other ordeal. Dick decided that the best course of action would be for them to split up and cover more ground.
The castle is vast, even larger than the current castle the royal family resides in. The rundown walls and crumbling floors made it even harder to navigate. Dick only hoped that the rest of the Titans are having an easier time.
Traversing deeper into the castle, Dick halts next to a narrow staircase. Shouts and sounds of fighting echo from there. Dick debates about going in or not. It hadn’t taken long to notice that Komand’rs men were prone to fighting. Luckily he didn’t have to wait much longer when a guard came running up the stairs. Before the guard can run past him, Dick grabs his hand.
“What’s going on down there?” He inquires.
“The crown princess. She has escaped. I must infor—”
Dick doesn’t wait for the guard to finish as he backhands him in the face, knocking him out. He places the man in one of many empty rooms. Dick doesn’t have time to inform the Titans. Not wanting to waste another second he rushes down the stairs.
He follows the sound of fighting and blasts. He reaches a small corridor where about five guards are knocked out. There is a large hole on the side of a wall where sunlight beams in. Three guards are attacking who Dick recognizes as the princess from portraits he has looked at. Her flaming red hair is wild. Bags line her eyes and exhaustion is present in her features. Yet there is burning determination in her eyes.
Flabbergasted, Dick watches as the princess takes out another guard even with her exhaustion. Dick snaps out of his trance when one of the guards calls out to him. The princess and the other guard notice him. The guard relaxes at the sight of his appearance. As The guard turns towards Koriand’r, Dick takes this chance to knock out the other one.
“You can’t defeat all three of us” The guard threatens.”We also have reinforcements coming soon. You may as well surrender.” The guard notices that Kori is paying no mind to him. He turns towards Dick again. Stunned at the sight of his fallen comrade, The guard points his finger at Dick. “ You… What?”
Dick shrugs, containing a smile. He throws out a bo staff, knocking out the final guard. Leaving only him and the princess.
Before Dick can do anything, The princess points her arm at him, Starbolt ready to shoot. “Who are you?”
Dick raises his arms, trying to show her that he is not a threat to her. “ Don’t worry your highness. I’m part of the royal military.” He fetched out the insignia for the military from his pocket.
She regards him with a critical eye. Slowly she lowers her arm. Dick flashes her a smile. “ I’m Richard Grayson. But you can call me Dick.” He holds out his hand. The princess takes a step forward but ends up stumbling. Before she can fall, Dick catches her.
Holding onto him for support, Kori straightens up. Dick notices an embarrassed blush creeping on her cheeks. “Sorry,” Kori mutters as she lets go of Dick only to stumble again. Dick catches her again, firmly placing his hands on her shoulders.
“It's alright.” He gives her a knowing smile. “You’ve been through a lot.”
The princess gives him another look. Dick felt a bit nervous being under her gaze.
“Koriand’r” Kori moves some streaks of hair away from her face. “You probably know that already.”
“It's an honor to meet you.” He glances behind him. “But now, we need to get out of here.”
– – – –
The Titans plus Koriand’r return to a disapproving but relieved Royal Court. With the princess now in safe hands, the troops are able to raid Komand’rs headquarters. Unfortunately, Komand’r is able to escape capture and seek out the Citadel. A few months later, Koriand’r is crowned Queen.