Memories of Gaia: Seeking Shadows in the Storm
Chapter 26 far from over

"You monster!" Princess Aurory shouted as hot tears streaked down her tan cheeks. She collapsed on the floor, her face in her hands, sobbing loudly.

Valeena gently reached out to the child and place a hand on her shaking shoulder. Princess Aurory slapped it way as she screamed, "Don't you touch me!" Her eyes burning with hate.

Valeena swallowed back the pain she felt and looked towards the ceiling, blinking back tears. She had to stay strong for her sister, even if she did not want her support. Valeena pretended to scratch her cheek as she wiped a stray tear away.

King Caspian seemed uncomfortable with the child's tears and offered her a silk handkerchief that was instantly burned by one of the Princess's energy attacks.

Valeena could no longer hear the battle that was continuing down below as her eyes fell upon her dead mother. She had tortured Valeena for years, making her life difficult but she had never wanted this. She did not believe that taking a life would make things better as the damage was already done. Valeena would much rather have her sit in a cell, rotting away, where she would be constantly reminded of her terrible deeds.

But death seemed to have freed her of that burden as she was gone, but the people she hurt continued to live. They will be tormented by her memory as she travels the afterlife, unaware of their pain. It just did not seem right to Valeena.

"Today was birthday," Princess Aurory was saying as she wiped at her swollen eyes, refusing to look at Valeena or her uncle.

"She was going to take me to Kingyosou and..." But her voice trembled as fresh tears trickled down her face. She sniffed loudly and wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve, shaking her head. She jumped to her feet and punched Valeena hard in the stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of her.

"Hey, now!" King Caspian shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears as Princess Aurory struck her sister again.

"You ruin everything! For years, she only spoke of you and cared about you!" Princess Aurory's face was blood red, her eyes the same color. She was speaking through her teeth, fighting back the uncontrollable contracting of her chest that caused her to gasp and shudder. "And did she once even ask how I was? Did you?"

Valeena held back the reply that she wanted to speak, knowing that nothing she said right now would matter. Princess Aurory had treated her terribly for years, making her life even more difficult. Valeena had never stopped to wonder why and suddenly saw her sister differently. But it was too late, she knew, for them to ever be friends.

"Cheer up, Princess. You're the Queen now." It was King Caspian's feeble attempt of cheering up the poor girl, and even Valeena could not stop herself from groaning as she faced her insensitive uncle.

Princess Aurory shook her head, taking several steps back as she said, "No, no I am not." There was fear in her eyes.

"Why, of course you are!" King Caspian continued, ignoring the plea on Valeena's face that suggested he should stop speaking at once.

"You don't understand! With my mother-" She refused to say the word and shook her head instead. Princess Aurory opened her mouth to finish her sentence but was interrupted by the presence of Thanos.

He paused in his steps beside Valeena, peering down at the Queen's lifeless body with pure disgust. Thanos then reached down and removed the crown from her head, placing it on his own. He turned to face Valeena with a devilish grin on his ugly, scarred face.

"I shall be King." He announced smoothly, as he flicked his wrist. There was a flash of blood, red light that nearly blinded Valeena as she watched in horror. The light faded, taking the form of a massive, ebony dragon.

"No," Valeena breathed as the dragon that plagued her nightmares stood before, hissing puffs of smoke into the air as the crowd of people fled.

"Oh, yes Valeena. The one thing your pitiful mother had always wanted was here the entire time. She merely had to ask." Thanos said, raising his staff into the air and closing his eyes.

The world around Valeena seemed to shake as darkness washed over her. The last thing she saw was the dragon's scaly face as it opened it's mouth, fire brewing within.

END OF BOOK TWO

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