Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a calm summer's day in Whitestone. The sun bathed the entire city in warm rays of light, making the temperature pleasant and perfect for a day outside. The city center was bustling with people going on with their day to day lives. People shopped at the different merchant stalls or drank in the taverns while kids played in the street. You stood with your back to a wall of the castle. You were hiding, trying to avoid being seen or heard. There was the sound of soft rustling leaves next to you and before you could react, your pursuer leapt and pounced on you. You shouted in surprise before looking up at them. "Fine, you got me. You didn't have to drag me down, though," you said, letting out a small laugh.

"Sorry, sorry. I just couldn't help it," Percival de rolo, your boyfriend, leaned over you, having pinned you down from the pounce. His cheeks were red and he was smiling ear to ear, having fun with your little game of hide and seek. His brown hair was messy from running around, but it still framed nicely around his handsome face. He leaned down, kissing you softly while stroking your hair. "You're just adorable when you try to act sneaky."

"I am definitely not adorable," you pouted before sitting up, resting your head on his shoulder. The sun looked like it was going to set, which meant he would have to go home soon. "You should probably head back. I wish you could stay out a bit longer, but I know your family can be strict."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure that we spend the entire day together tomorrow. I'll take you anywhere you want to go. Afterall, two years is a long time to be together," he then smiled before pulling something out of his pocket. "I got you this. It's an early anniversary present."

You took the box from him, smiling at his consideration. Once it was opened, you saw a very gorgeous necklace inside. It was simple, but the gem pendant was a bright, blue sapphire. The necklace itself looked like pure silver, and it sparkled even in the darkness. You let him put it on you, turning back and kissing him deeply. "It's amazing. Thank you, Percy. I'll always keep it close," you gave him a hug goodbye before you both departed for your own homes.

That was many years ago. It almost felt like a dream. To think you had lived such a peaceful and naive life, only for it to be ripped away as you were thrown into the cruel world on your own.

You shook your head, trying to not think about it. Remembering that wouldn't bring everyone back. You needed to focus on your next job. To earn money for food, you took just about anything that were offered up, even work that some would describe as evil or cruel. The current one you found would pay a high amount for the head of a military general in the capital city of Emon. As far as your jobs went, this was pretty simple. There was no order to steal anything, find out secret plans, nothing like that. Just kill and then get out. You were already prepared to get this over with.

Despite being a general, there were practically no precautions around his house. There were no guards, no traps, and he had even left a window open. Either he was convinced that no one would ever try to hurt him, or he was just too cocky to think like that. Either way, you took your opportunity and made your way to the second story window. After years of training, you were able to climb and jump in without making a single sound. You slipped through the window, trying to blend in with the shadows as you crept through the house.

It was nicely decorated, with warm colored furniture and the occasional art piece. It felt very comfortable and well lived in. Eventually, you made it to what appeared to be his study. You peeked in, seeing his wife standing next to him as they both laughed. It seemed like she would be leaving soon, so you decided to wait until he was alone. The two chatted, exchanging kisses and goodnights before the wife left the room. You felt a slight bubble of guilt before pushing it down, knowing what needed to be done.

Once you knew the wife would most likely be asleep, you snuck into the room. You crept behind the man, holding a piece of cloth and a knife. Before he could react, you shoved the cloth in his mouth to muffle his screams. You then quickly slit his throat, watching the life drain from his eyes as blood pooled from his wound. You sat in silence, wanting to make sure he was fully dead. You couldn't help but look around the room as you waited, seeing family photos with him, his wife, and their children. You used to feel immense pain when you killed people like these. However, over the years you had gotten numb to it.

Once he was long gone, you severed the head with your knife. You snuck back to the open window, wanting to make sure not to alarm the wife and kids with your presence. Once you had made it outside, you were free to run away from your crime. You ran and never looked back.

"So, do we have another job? Hopefully it pays better than the last one," Percy said when Vex and Vax returned, seeing that they were holding a flier in their hands. They were sitting in an alleyway, as they had no home. It was a dingy and cold night. Everyone could feel a chill down their spines, so they were desperate for a job to get out of this life. Work had been pretty scarce lately, but a little bit of money would go a long way in their situation.

"Sort of. Apparently a popular military general was found last night without his head. The council is still trying to figure out what to do, but some of the generals' old men scraped together a reward for whoever can find the person responsible. They didn't have many leads, but the person who was a suspect was seen fleeing to the outskirts of Emon. If we hurry, we may be able to catch them." Vax said as everyone started to stand up. This wasn't a problem for anyone. They had all done similar work to this. All they had to do was to make sure that grog didn't kill the suspect before it was confirmed, if so they would all lose the money.

Percy got up with everyone, sighing before rushing to keep up with the rest. He might not be the fastest, but he wanted to get this job over more than anyone. He didn't like to do things like this, but it was the only way they could guarantee their survival.

You had been running for quite a long time. After turning in the general's head, you were informed that a group would be after you for revenge. You figured that if you made it out of Emon, you would be off the hook. This would have been a good plan, if you hadn't tripped and broken your ankle. You tried to make a splint, but there was no time as a group of bandits attacked you for your belongings. You killed them all, but now you were too weak to do much. Walking was impossible and crawling made you feel pitiful. Instead, you decided to sit next to an abandoned wagon and wait for the group to find you. You may not be able to beat them, but you could take a few out before dying. You tried to huddle in your cloak, the wind whipping cold air through your very being. The outskirts of Emon were not a nice place to be. The area looked empty besides the occasional thief shaking down travelers.

Eventually, you saw a large group of about 7 people approaching, the darkness hiding their details. Even if you couldn't see completely, you knew they were here to get you. You glared at them from under your hood, readying your knife so you could fight to the death.

"You there, you're the one who killed the general, aren't you?" A woman in the front asked, pulling her bow and arrow out and aiming at you. "You only need to say yes and we will spare your life. Resisting will only make it more painful on yourself."

You said nothing, wobbling a bit as you tried to stand up. You cursed harshly under your breath as your ankle burned with a white hot pain. You fell back to your knees, glancing at them before snickering. "Try and make me you fucking bitch," your voice was raspy, barely above a whisper. Dehydration had gotten the best of you and it felt like you could barely speak.

"Enough of this. Let's stop wasting our time and bring her in," you snapped your head up when you heard a familiar voice. You couldn't believe it. There was no way that it was true. You heard that the de rolos were all dead. Yet, he stepped out from the group. Percival. His hair had turned white, but his eyes and facial features were the same. Time seemed to move slowly as he aimed his pepper box at you, glaring. "Come on, stand up. We don't have all night."

You realized that he didn't recognize you with your hood on. You slowly pulled it down, looking up at him with wide eyes as your heart almost hammered out of your chest. "Percy… Is that really you?" you asked, mustering your strength into talking. You watched as his look of annoyance vanished, being replaced with a look of pure shock. You knew that it was him. You felt relief flush through your body, accompanied with the feeling of pure happiness.

Before anyone could say anything, he dropped his gun to the ground and rushed to you. He knelt in front of you, looking you over as tears began to form in his eyes. "(Y/n) … Oh gods you're alive. I can't believe you're alive," he said, pulling you into a deep hug. He tried to not squeeze too hard, as you were injured, but he seemed desperate to cling, as if loosening his grip would make you disappear forever. He breathed in, taking in your scent as his body shook. "I'm so sorry, (Y/n). Don't worry, I'll get you bandaged up and taken care of. I feel horrible that I almost shot you. I'll never aim a firearm in your direction ever again. I swear it," he said hastily, pulling away to look into your eyes. He smiled, resting his forehead on yours as you both took on each other's presence.

The others in the group watched him dote and keep you close. Most of them were very confused. Percy wasn't the mushy type. Since he was very handsome, girls had pined after him quite a few times. Everytime one did, he was cold and dismissive, not even giving them the time of day. He always said that he just never got over a past lover. The group started wondering if it was you all along. Eventually, the woman with the bow and arrow stepped forward to ask the question they were all thinking. "Percy, you know this person?"

"Ah, yes, I do. This is (Y/n). We were very close as children and sweethearts in our teens. I'm sorry, but I can't turn her in. I thought I lost her years ago, I won't chance losing her again," Percy said firmly, wrapping his arms around you and lifting you up bridal style. He held you close to his chest, making sure that his expression was serious. His arms felt strong and sturdy while they held you. It was a feeling you always took for granted as a kid, but now it was the best you've ever felt. "I don't care how much they were going to pay us. I'm sorry, Vex, but she's more important to me than anyone."

Vex sighed, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Figures. The first job we've had in a month and we can't even complete it," She shot you a look, glaring slightly. Vex already seemed like she didn't like you. Maybe it was because they needed the money, but it felt like the reason lied deeper within. She almost had a look of jealousy as Percy held you. You hoped that you were just seeing things, because you weren't planning on loosing Percy to anyone ever again. "You better be worth it. We really needed that money."

"Oh, well, I actually have a decent amount of money from when I killed the general. I was going to grab a drink at a tavern after fixing my leg up. Since you all aren't going to kill me, I figured I could pay for drinks," you said, wanting to lighten the mood. You rested your head on Percy's chest, feeling relaxed as you listened to his heart. You had missed him so much that the sorrow could have killed you. Now, you were together again. You thought that you were being the overbearing one, but it was incomparable to how Percy would be.

"Oo she's taking us out drinking?! I like her already!" The giant one said with a loud laugh, having already accepted that she would be with them. Afterall, it was rare that Percy would vouch for someone like this. They all knew that she would be important. "Just so you know I drink more than everyone. I sure hope you have enough!"

"Hah, I'm sure I do," you said before looking up and meeting Percy's eyes as you all started walking. His eyes had looked so dull and angered earlier, but now there was a certain spark. His smile still hadn't gone away as he glanced down at you.

"Rest, now. I'll make sure you get properly treated. I'll never let anything happen to you ever again," he said gently, kissing your forehead. Butterflies filled your stomach as the warm feeling stayed right where he kissed you. You missed this expression from him. An expression filled with love and tenderness. You missed his gentle behavior. You felt safer with him now than you had been for many years.

You nodded, curling into him. The soft swaying of his steps and the warmth of his body were enough to put you to sleep easily.

Chapter Text

Darkness. You awoke to pure darkness. The world around you spun as your head pounded with pain. You tried to move, but none of your limbs would respond. You were sitting on a cold stone floor, the only sound was a quiet dripping in the distance and the occasional rat scurrying around. Your arms limply hung from chains over your head. The rust felt like it was grating into your skin, rubbing it raw and making simply existing pain.

'Not again,' you thought to yourself, struggling to find a way out. You knew exactly where you were, and you were terrified of it. You went through this so many times. Telling yourself it was a dream would do nothing. You could still feel the pain that you felt from those days. You could hear them laughing and mocking you as you screamed. The torture was unbearable and it never seemed to stop.

Eventually, the door cracked open. Standing there was Sylas and Delilah Briarwood. Their evil grins spread sickly across their face, as if they grew anymore it would tear their skin apart. They approached you, each holding various torture devices that had been relentlessly used against you before. They walked up to you, Sylas forcefully grabbing your face and yanking it up so you could clearly see the two of them. Your jaw began to hurt from his squeezing, but you couldn't break free from the grip.

"(Y/n), it's time to have some fun. All you need to do is give us the information we need, then you can go home," Delilah said, lightly slapping her hand with the whip she was holding. She was doing it to taunt you, knowing that you could do nothing in return. No matter how many times you had tried to escape, it all seemed pointless. Every time they dragged you back, the torture session was more severe than the last. You thought about giving in sometimes, but then you remembered Percy's face and held strong.

You struggled against the chains as the whip was brought down harshly on your back. She hit you over and over, each time harder than the next. Pain surged from your wounds, but you tried to just bite your lip and bare through it. After what felt like hours, your back was bleeding and the air stung your wounds.

"Just give in. We'll let you go if you do. If not, it'll only get worse from here. Don't you want to not feel pain? Tell us what we need to know and that can become a reality," Delilah said, stepping behind you once more. Instead of using the whip, she dug her nails into your back and began to rake down your wounds. Your mind went blank as severe agony spread to each part of your body. You couldn't hold it in anymore. You opened your mouth and screamed as loud as you could.

You shot up from the spot you were lying in, gasping for breath as cold sweat dripped down your back. Your heart was beating faster than it had for a very long time. You felt hands on your shoulders, which almost made you scream again. Then your eyes met a pair of green ones and you realized it was a dream. You were shaking as he pulled you into a tight embrace, rubbing your back as you tried to calm down. You looked around, telling yourself that it hadn't been real. You weren't there anymore. You were with Percy and his friends. He said he would never let anyone hurt you again.

"(Y/n), are you ok? You were thrashing quite a bit in your sleep. I tried to wake you up, but then you started to scream," he said, his face gentle as he stroked your hair. He reached over and took out his handkerchief, using it to dab away the sweat on your face. Once he was done, he held your head to his chest and waited for you to calm down so that you could answer.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was having a horrible nightmare," you eventually said, breathing in a deep sigh of relief. You felt bandages so you looked yourself over. All of your wounds had been precisely taken care of. For some reason, your ankle didn't hurt at all. There wasn't even a splint or anything on it. While you were confused, a smile crept onto your face as you leaned in, kissing Percy on the cheek. "Thank you, Percival. What happened to my ankle? I swore I broke it earlier. I could barely even walk."

Percy's face turned a bright red as he rubbed his neck, smiling sheepishly. He used to turn that red when you two started dating. Any little kiss would have his face flushed and you used to take advantage of it quite often. "Well, that was actually thanks to Pike over there. She's a cleric, so she was able to heal your ankle," You looked over and saw one of the smaller ones grinning at you. You assumed that was Pike so you smiled with gratitude at her.

"Right, you're awake. Percy has said that you'll be joining us from now on, so we might as well be introduced," Vex cut in, standing forward from the rest of the group. "I'm Vex, my brother is Vax. The tall one over there is Grog. Those two gnomes are Pike and Scanlan. Lastly, the one with the staff is Keyleth. Our group is called Vox Machina." Vex said, pointing out each person as she told you their names. They all seemed friendly as they waved to you, having smiles on their faces.

"Good to know. I should properly introduce myself as well. My name is (Y/n). I hope I can be of service to you all," you said as you nodded to them. Percy eventually finished wrapping the rest of your wounds that Pike didn't heal. It was a bit hard since you were in an alleyway, but he made quick work of it. After he was done, he helped you up, holding your hand afterwards.

"Alright! Now let's go get some booze!" Grog shouted happily as the others agreed. They all rushed into the tavern that was a bit further down the alley, seeming to race each other as to who could get there first. You smiled at the sight, squeezing Percy's hand as you two followed the group.

The tavern was lively with people getting drunk and socializing. In a world full of hardship, this was the one place where people could really let loose and enjoy themselves. The rest of your group were gathered around a table, having a drinking contest to see who could chug their ale the fastest. You stood by the window with Percy, both of you enjoying a cup of wine. His arm was around you while you rested your head on his chest.

You watched as Grog finished his ale, standing up and cheering with the rest of the bystanders watching. "Grog wins. Again," Percy commented as he took a sip of his wine. He didn't look particularly engaged with what was happening, but he did watch the show from time to time. His hand lazily stroked your hair, running his fingers through it.

"Makes sense. Grog is huge, I don't think anyone in this bar would stand a chance against him," you said, watching as the others groaned with their cheeks flushed. They definitely looked a little tipsy. Except for Keyleth, that is. She looked like she could pass out at any time. Wine was nice for you, as it was a slow process of getting tipsy. It felt comfortable to be in the corner with Percy, away from everyone else.

Your attention was caught when a guy shoved Keyleth aside, which made Grog stand up in anger. Pike was trying to calm him down, but the whole group seemed to look on edge. Especially when Vex ordered another round for them all, calling their group the greatest band of mercenaries in all the realm. A laugh came from the guy who pushed Keyleth. "The greatest? I heard you couldn't even rescue a cow from a burning barn. Vox Machina, what a fucking joke."

You turned to Percy, seeing a frown on his face. You got the idea that the group had a bad name for itself around here. "I'm guessing that these guys aren't really the savory type?" You asked him, seeing Vax walk up to their table and start talking to them. You had a bad feeling that things were going to go south very quickly.

"Yes. It looks like things are going to turn into an all out brawl pretty soon. Vax has a hard time holding back when he's drunk. If you're not ok to fight, just stand behind me and I'll make sure that none of them lay a hand on you," Percy said protectively, keeping you very close. Both of your suspicions were confirmed when Grog chopped off the man's hand. It all went downhill from there.

The others got their weapons ready for the attack. You pulled out your knife, not having been to a tavern brawl in quite some time. Both groups immediately began to fight, tackling each other to the ground while shouts and curses filled the air. Percy tried to avoid it, but when one persisted in trying to kill him, he held his gun up against their chin with a smirk. Before he could fire, Grog jumped out of nowhere and landed on the two, almost crushing Percy. He mumbled 'sorry' before getting back to the fight.

Another began to charge at you. Percy seemed to struggle to get up and try to help, but you had taken out bigger than this guy. You quickly dodged his attack, ending up behind him and jumping on his back. You chuckled as he began to squirm and try and grab you, but his arms were too large to reach around that way. You wrapped your arms around his neck to keep steady as he tried to throw you off, tightening your grip and cutting off his airway. Once he was starting to get light headed, you jumped off and easily tripped him. He fell to the floor on his back with a thud, passing out. At this point, Percy had gotten out from under the man who had crushed him. As soon as you were up, he grabbed your arm and made you hide behind him.

"Please do not do that again. That man could have killed you if he fell on top of you. Just stay behind me for the rest of the fight," he said, his tone a little more serious than before. He almost looked angry, but you assumed that he was still wary about losing you again. He aimed his pepper box at the man who got his hand chopped off, but before he could shoot Grog began to try and take him down. "Grog, step aside," he said, frustrated that it was hard to aim. When he did try to fire, his gun malfunctioned and only gave off a few sparks. He was then grabbed and thrown through a wall. There, you saw Scalan naked with a lady. Puzzled, you continued to fight

Suddenly the tarven keep came out from the basement with a barrel of ale. They looked shocked before slowly changing into a minotaur, yelling for everyone to stop. That made everything go silent pretty quickly. "First, you people drink me dry. Then you destroy my tavern. And what is that gnome doing with my daughter?" They pointed to Scanlan who was obviously doing something sexual under the sheets. "Who's paying for all this?"

They immediately shut Vex down when she tried to come up with an excuse, demanding for the money immediately. They looked ready to murder when no one came forward with the money, getting ready to throw everyone out. "Actually, I have quite a few coin to give you," you said, stepping forward with the bag of money you got from killing the general. The tavern keep snatched it, weighing it before grumbling.

"Fine, but you're still banned from my tavern for destroying the place. Now get out," they said, pointing to the door. Everyone quickly rushed out, Scanlan taking a bit longer as he had to grab his clothes. You all sat outside the tavern, discussing what to do. You learned that they were homeless and couldn't find a job for the life of them.

Percy checked you over while the rest talked and Scanlan went to go and take a leak. "Are you sure you're ok? He didn't hurt you at all?" He asked, his worry making itself evident. "I'm sorry, I should have stuck closer to make sure nothing would happen to you. I was reckless and I almost let you get hurt."

"I'm ok, Percy. I have a few scratches, but he was pretty easy to take down. You didn't do anything wrong, tavern brawls are pretty chaotic anyway," you said, smiling to try and reassure him that he did all he could. That didn't seem to make him feel much better.

As he was looking you over, he caught the glimpse of silver around your neck. His eyes widened as he gently revealed the necklace, seeing the familiar blue sapphire. It was the same necklace he had given you all those years ago. It wasn't as new and perfect as the day he had given it to you, but he could tell that it had gotten plenty of use and wear. "This is the necklace I gave you."

"Of course it is. I've worn it every day since Whiteston fell. Even when I was starving and barely getting by, I never even thought of selling it. It was the last thing I had to remember of you, and I never wanted to forget," you said, reaching a hand up and cupping his cheek. "The Briarwoods said that all of the de rolos were killed, but I never wanted that to be true. I always held onto this for the hope that I would see you again one day."

Percy smiled softly, bringing you into an embrace. "I felt the same way. I wanted to know that you were alive and away from those horrible people. I'm just sorry that it took us so long for us to see each other again," he pulled away, looking a bit nervous. "(Y/n), I wanted to ask if we could rekindle our rela-"

"This!" Percy was interrupted when Scanlan rushed back over to the group, holding a flier. "This is our purpose. Fighting for justice, for glory, protecting the kingdom and stuff. And most importantly, lots of money!" He said excitedly, throwing the flier into the air as his pants fell down. The entire group collectively groaned, but everyone seemed interested in the idea. Afterall, there weren't many other options. Everyone needed money to get by, and they didn't have the luxury of choice. You all decided to get some rest before heading up to the castle and offering your services, as it was still late and everyone was still hungover.

You laid down with Percy, wanting to ask what he meant to say, but feeling like it wasn't the right time. You two curled into each other, falling into a restful sleep.

Chapter Text

"(Y/n)?" Percival sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes as he tried to put on his glasses. Your small frame stood in the window, casting a shadow onto the wood floors. You hopped down as he sat up. "What are you doing here? Your parents are going to get mad if they realize you snuck out again."

"Sorry, I just couldn't sleep. Scooch over a bit," you said, crawling into his bed and hugging him. You still felt shaken up from what you saw. Even if it got you in trouble, you needed the comfort that Percy gave you. The warm feeling of not being alone. Knowing that it was just a dream.

"It's those nightmares again, isn't it?" He asked, sighing when you nodded. He wrapped his arms around you, squeezing you gently. "None of it's real. I'm not dead and the city isn't in ruin. It's ok. You can sleep here until morning. If your parents ask, I'll just say that you slept walk here," Percy said with a joking smile, tapping your forehead with his finger. The two of you huddled under the covers, falling asleep almost instantly.

The next morning, everyone awoke to the sunrise. Though you were laying on the dirty street, Percy had put his jacket on the ground for the two of you to sleep on. You opened your eyes, feeling warmth envelop you as a familiar smell tickled your nose. You looked up, seeing Percy stare down at you with soft eyes. He jumped when he saw you looking back, clearing his throat and looking away as a dust of pink peppered his cheeks. "Ah, good morning. I hope that you slept well," his said, sitting up with you. He picked his jacket back up, looking irritated with the dirt that was now on it, but not saying anything. "We'll have to leave soon. It will take us a while to get to the Sovereign. We should try to look nice."

"Makes sense. I wish there was a way to clean up first," you said with a smile, reaching out and straightening his jacket for him. You buttoned it up before patting his shoulders. "There we are. Nice and proper. Honestly, I think you look the best out of all of us."

"Not better than you. Even with messy hair and blood stains, you still look gorgeous as ever," he said, staring into your eyes. He looked at you as he had when you two were younger. A loving, fond look that always made your heart flutter. He leaned in and you felt that same feeling as before. Just as you two were close enough for your noses to touch, Vex grabbed Percy's shoulder.

"Come on, we need to get this over with. The longer we wait, the more chance that someone's going to take this opportunity first. Now move it," she said in an agitated tone, looking hungover from the night before. You and Percy pulled away, not sure what to do after that. You felt bashful, while he looked annoyed. Nevertheless, you all gathered together and made your way towards the palace.

The Cloudtop District of Emon was far from where you slept, meaning you had to get there in a reasonable time to discuss the flyer. After going through some districts, the group eventually reached the Cloudwatch Palace, climbing its stairs as it towered over all of Emon.

"Wow, I think I can see the tavern from here. Oh, I can also see where I used to live. It was in that building over there," you said, pointing to a building which held a certain number of rooms in the bad part of Emon. "There was always an infestation problem. It probably would have been healthier to sleep outside," you laughed at the thought. Percy didn't laugh, instead he looked at the building with a sad expression. You knew that your life hadn't been great, but at least you were able to survive.

"We're really going to go in looking like this?" Keyleth asked, gesturing towards her outfit. The rest of the group looked very similar. After the tavern brawl last night, no one had been able to really clean up and present themselves in a nice way. Percy and Scanlan seemed to be cleaner than the rest and gave off a better impression.

Before the group got close to the door, a pair of guards sealed it off with their weapons. "Halt," they said, making sure that the group wouldn't come any closer. They paused as they watched Vex pull the flier out to show them. "Ok, we'll take you in, but the bear waits outside," he pointed to the bear as the large doors began to open. This seemed to sadden the creature, so Vex had to comfort him before she could join the rest as they all went inside.

Once the large doors fully opened, they revealed a grand, gorgeous room. It was clean and pristine, without so much as dust or anything. Long windows towered over everyone, letting the light from the sun bathe the room in a warm glow. Every piece of architecture looked very unique, including the stairs that led up to the Sovereign's throne. There, he sat as many other people talked to him, discussing something very important. They were so involved that calling out to them did nothing. They were only alerted to the group's presence when Grog let out a sudden burp. It echoed through the room, making the people around the throne turn to them.

The council looked down at your group, their expressions ranging from annoyed to disgusted. None of them seemed happy at your sudden arrival. "I'm sorry, who the hell are you?" The small one with red hair asked, having a disdainful expression, as if even acknowledging the group was a complete waste of time.

"Vox machina," Percy stepped forward adjusting his glasses with a smile. He stepped forward, trying to come off as polite with their introduction. There was a chance that the council would listen to someone like him. "You see, it's actually a somewhat clever play on words,"

"Honestly, we don't care," the one with grey skin interrupted, seeming to speak for all of the council as their looks were all the same. "Sire, I warned you that the notices would attract the scum of Emon."

"Excuse you?" Vex asked, looking a bit angry at the comment. Even Percy tightened his grip on your hand ever so slightly. You didn't seem to be welcomed there. The conversation they were having before must have been very important to have them all gathered at once. You couldn't help but feel like you were intruding.

"I think Sir Fince means a foe this deadly requires more seasoned-" the one with blond hair and a beard started to say with his arms crossed, only to be interrupted again by Fince.

"Krieg, don't bother with these drunken buffoons. Guards?" Fince said before some guards came up to the group, trying to grab at you and the others. You felt a hand grab your arm, making you feel panicked. You had been trying to hide within the group so that the council wouldn't know who you were. If they found out that you killed the general, it could cost you your life.

Before you could pull yourself free, Percy reached down and grabbed the guard's arm with enough force to dent his armor. "Let her go," he said with a deadly look in eyes. Even when the guard tried to shake him off, Percy didn't budge. There was a chill in the air as you saw what appeared to be black mist. However, once the others seemed to back away, the guard pulled his hand back. The mist disappeared and Percy pulled you to stand in front of him, making sure that no guard could touch you without him doing something about it. You wondered if you were seeing things, but decided to brush it off.

"Buffoons? Clearly, you've never heard of the Legend of Vox Machina. Allow me to give you a proper introduction," Scanlan said, taking out his Banjo Ukulele. He began to sing a song about how great the group was, posing a sort of illusion to show off each member. It was a nice song, but none of you had the effort to humor him. Luckily, it seemed to interest Uriel very much. He watched, entertained as Scanlan danced around the introductions.

"Uh… Give the council a moment to discuss your curious group," Uriel said after the song was over, the other council members gathering around him to discuss what they just saw. The others seemed shocked and confused by what Uriel had to say, so you figured it would go well for you all.

You turned to Percy, half heartedly smiling at him. "Well, that was definitely something. I will say that I've never been a part of a song before. It was nice," you said, squeezing his hand a bit. Your arm hurt a from when the guard grabbed it, but you felt lucky that you had Percy to help you out. "Also, thanks for helping out with that guard. I was worried they were going to find out."

"Trust me, you will get tired of it very quickly. You've only known Scanlan for a day," Percy said in an agitated tone. "But, you're welcome. I don't like the idea of another man putting his hands on you like that. I also don't like the idea of you getting taken away from me again. I'll make sure they never figure it out," he said, wrapping his arms around you from behind. His warm chest pressed into your back and you couldn't help but feel comforted.

"Very well, you're hired, Vox Machina. Mainly because I like the bear," Uriel said honestly. He looked doubtful, but he and the council had decided to throw your group a bone. "Lady Allura will accompany you to the Shale Steps, the village closest to the last attack."

You all exchanged glances, seemingly pleased that the Sovereign was giving you a chance. When asked about the payments and what type of creature you would be fighting, Krieg stepped forward to answer that. "We don't know what you're killing, but once you kill it, all this is yours," he said, patting the top of a large golden box. The group either looked shocked or pleased with the thought of what could be inside that box.

Soon after, everyone was escorted onto a ship. It was large and looked like the ones of people who traveled the seas, however it was raised into the sky, flying away from the palace. You stood next to Percy, admiring the view as you flew above everything. "I've never been this high up before. At least, not while moving. It feels like you can see everything," you remarked, seeing all the places you traveled be reduced down to a pinpoint in your eyes.

"It is quite beautiful. I don't think we'll experience this quite often," Percy said before turning to look at you. He seemed to hesitate before he reached out, taking your hands and holding them. He had a gentle look in his eyes as he began to speak. "(Y/n), I know that we aren't kids anymore, but I can't help but see you the way I always have. I see you as perfect and beautiful. Maybe things won't be the same, but I want you to be mi-" Percy was once again interrupted as Allura spoke up.

"As you can see, the creature has already razed three villages and miles of farmland. If this evil persists, the kingdom will starve to death," she said as the ship flew over the ruins of once lively villages. The air began to feel tense around the group. You had been listening to Allura, so you didn't notice the look of anger on Percy's face. While you did want to know what he had to say, your nerves had caught up to you when you saw the pure devastation. Some of the group commented on how deadly this all seemed and Allura talked once more. "It is dangerous, which is why only the most noble, heroic and true-"

"Yeah, yeah, nobility and heroism is fine and all, but we're in this for the money," Vax said before she could continue on, a bored look on his face. Allura seemed to accept this, not seeming to care either way. Despite the group's morals, all they needed was gold. They hadn't had a nice place to sleep or a good meal in quite some time, and this was going to be a way out of that life.

The ship began to land as everyone gathered their things. Percy gripped on your hand as you all exited the ship to the ground below. He still seemed annoyed about getting interrupted earlier, but you figured a time for him to talk would come up once things calmed down. Before it was confirmed that there would be another ride after, Allura took off with the ship. There wasn't so much of a second glance as everyone began to make their way down the mountain.

Eventually, you came upon a quaint village. The houses were small, but held firm against the cold temperature. The group was meant to ask around and see if anyone had any information about a creature's attack. "Excuse me, have you-?" You were attempting to ask one of the local men if he could tell you any information that would be helpful. Before you could, however, you were yanked away and behind someone.

Percy stood in front of you, clearing his throat. "Sorry about that. We were just wondering if you had any information on the recent attack?" He asked, squeezing your hand as the man told him what he saw. It almost felt like he was scolding you without having said a single word about it yet. You stood there, confused. The man looked normal, and there was little chance for an attack, but Percy seemed to be on high alert. When you tried to pull away, his hand turned into an iron grip that wouldn't budge even slightly. You resigned yourself to waiting until he was done.

"Why did you do that? I was just trying to talk to him," you asked when he was done, looking a bit annoyed. You two were walking to catch up with the rest of the group. He still hadn't let your hand go, nor had he loosened up his grip.

"I didn't like how he looked at you. I'm sorry if I grabbed too hard, but you need to be careful of some men. Men can be dirty and perverted towards someone as beautiful as you. I don't want anything hurting you if I can stop it before it happens," he said simply, keeping you very close to him. His grip loosened as you two made your way over to the rest of the group.

The others discovered that it was something large that flew. The kids of the village directed them to a large tree on top of a tall hill that had been knocked over by the creature. Trinket the bear was allowed to sniff around to find any clues. He couldn't pick up on the trail completely, but it was decided to follow along the coast. It looked as if the creature had flown down that path, taking out anything that stood in its way.

The path down the steep cliff was daunting, to say the least. Everyone struggled in their own way. Percy insisted on helping you down the mountain, even if you said that you were ok. He made sure that you wouldn't fall or trip, holding your hand for most of it. He even offered to carry you, which you quickly declined. As you all made it down, the tracks seemed to fluctuate at some point, transitioning from large craters into human footprints. As they got more fresh, the group stayed together, ready for anything.

Vex told the group that it was close and everyone pulled out their weapons. The bushes rustled and you could feel your heart hammer in your chest. You didn't know what monstrous creature would come out. With all the destruction it had caused, you didn't even know if you would make it out alive. You readied your knife, stilling your mind.

Suddenly, a baby lamb popped out of the bush. It was small and tiny, with fluffy white wool and big eyes. Everyone seemed taken aback. "How adorable," you say as Grog laughs and mocks Vex. You approached it, but stopped when Vex suddenly collapsed to the ground, holding her head in agony. From the shadows, a large, scaly foot appeared with sharp claws. It immediately stepped on the lamb, crushing it as blood splattered all over the ground. You all stepped back as you saw the creature raise its head. It was a blue dragon, something that no one had expected.

"Holy shit," you said before running away, barely dodging its blue beam as it teared through the ground viciously. It destroyed everything in its path, making everyone scatter in an attempt to avoid it. The dragon bit through trees and set the forest ablaze, bright fire sending sparked embers into the sky.

"I suggest we run," Percy said as he had his arms around you, trying to keep you both hidden behind a tree. While usually you weren't the type to run, this beast definitely seemed like the type that could kill you all easily. The group wasn't prepared for something like this. You barely knew most of them, but you could tell that they were all terrified. Well, except for Grog.

Grog ignored Percy and attempted to fight it, only to be violently thrown into the mountain side. Before Percy could stop you, you ran from the group to cause a distraction so that the others could hit the dragon. The beam followed you, just barely being slower than your running. You managed to glance back, seeing that Vax practically had to wrestle Percy to keep him from chasing you. You knew this could kill you, but it was impossible for anyone else to get an opening. You started throwing your knives at the dragon to keep its attention on you, but they did absolutely nothing to its hide.

"Shit shit shit," you mumbled to yourself, dodging the blue beam and the snaps of its mouth. The last snap almost took your arm, instead leaving a long scratch. You could see the others getting plenty of shots on it, but none of them made the slightest impact. Percy kept yelling for you to come back, but you stopped when you saw what Keyleth was doing. You felt some hope when the sky opened and you could see her using her magic. She struck the dragon with a powerful blast of lightning, but that only seemed to make the dragon stronger. You ran back to the group as the dragon readied another attack. Instead of aiming at you, it aimed at the mountain side, making boulders fall over the group.

"(Y/n)!" You heard Percy yell as he dove on top of you trying to shield you as the rocks crashed to the ground. Before you all could be crushed, Keyleth managed to make a shrub large enough to cover and save you all. It was sharp and prickly, but it was safe. You all stayed quiet as the dragon approached the rubble, making sure that you all were dead. Eventually, it flew away.

As soon as the dragon was gone, everyone pushed the rocks away to get out, Percy was still on top of you. He looked down, seeing a large cut on your arm and bruises. He seemed displeased and relieved at the same time, internally deciding that he was just happy you were alive. "Are you alright?" He asked, helping you off the ground.

"I'm fine. That was just terrifying," you said with an uncertain laugh. Suddenly, arms were around you. You were pulled into a hug by Percy, who was holding you close and shaking. You thought it was from anger, but you soon realized it was from fear. "Percy, I'm ok, really. The dragon didn't leave any real damage."

"Don't do that again," he said in a serious tone, his arms squeezing you tighter. "It could have killed you. When you ran off suddenly like that, I thought you were a goner. I felt panic and fear and all of those horrible emotions. I felt helpless to keep you safe. Next time rely on me more. You're not alone anymore, it's time to start acting like a team," he said, tapping his finger on your forehead.

You smiled and nodded, resting your head on his chest and enjoying the embrace. Eventually, you turned to the group as they were discussing what happened. You watched Pike heal Grog of a massive wound on his side. Most of the group agreed that the dragon was way too tough for them, even if Pike insisted that they needed to help the people. Percy tried to defend the fact that they had given the council their word, but it was shut down when Vex told about the pain she felt when dragons were close. It was agreed that everyone would walk away.

You weren't sure how to feel. You weren't the best person to talk about morals, but part of you felt like you couldn't walk away from this. That dragon swooped down and almost killed everyone in minutes. It had killed a lot of people and destroyed entire towns. Something felt off about it and you wanted to investigate, but the majority wins. You held Percy's hand as the group left.

After walking through the rain in the forest for quite a while, you saw the town you had been in mere hours before. The houses were leveled to nothing but ash and embers, their structures empty, without a single person to greet them. Vax took off down the street, heading towards the house at the end of the line. Inside, all were dead but one of the children. He was barely hanging on by a thread, but Pike had already used up what she could to heal Grog. When he passed, the group stood in silence.

The group turned the gazes to the ground, feeling the weight of tragedy. One by one, everyone decided to join in to take out this dragon. You volunteered yourself, followed by Percy soon after. It was decided and you all left, heading back to Emon to report in on what you found.

Chapter Text

It was early on a Saturday morning as you waited outside of the room that Percy was in. Each day, he had lessons with Byron Anders, his teacher. Percy was smart and loved to learn, but you always got a bad feeling from his teacher. He was prone to anger easily and seemed secretive. It didn't help that there was a hungry look in his eyes every time he saw you waiting for Percy. He had never tried anything, but you knew better than to let your guard down.

Soon, Percy and his sister, Cassandra, were dismissed. He walked out, smiling when he saw you. He wrapped his arms around your waist, staring at your eyes lovingly. "You know, you don't have to wait for me every day. I can't imagine that it's much fun just sitting around," even after saying that, he looked happy to see you. You two saw each other every day, afterall. He had grown used to spending almost all of his free time with you.

"Well, sometimes I get to listen in on the lesson and learn something. I don't know much about the topics, but it does sound interesting. That, and it's nice to just be around you," you said with a smile, glancing back and seeing Byron staring at you. There was an evil glint in his eye as he looked you over. He smirked, licking his lips before closing the door. You felt a chill down your spine, clinging to Percy's arm. "Your teacher can be pretty creepy sometimes."

"Who, Byron? Nonsense, he's just a strange man. Since I have the rest of the day off, let's go back to that park you love so much. I'll have the chef make us something to bring," he said, kissing your head as you two walked down the stairs. You tried to ignore it, but the lingering stare of Byron felt like it was burning a hole in your back.

You all arrived back at the Cloudwatch Palace, just in time to hear Fince talk about how your group was most likely sent to your doom. There was a tense feeling in the air, as everyone looked uncertain as to what to do. No one seemed to notice any of you, so you all snuck up behind him before speaking and making yourselves known.

"Doom? We don't know the meaning of the word," Scanlan said, standing in front of the group with his arms crossed. "Sovereign, hold on to your goddamn crown. We've discovered that the monster is none other than a blue dragon!" He stated with pride, pointing to the council sitting by the throne.

"We know," they all said in unison, as if your group was the last to know about this shocking fact. "Did you kill it?" Allura asked. However, she didn't seem surprised when the group confirmed that the dragon was not yet dead. She had seen the powers of a dragon. Maybe not a blue one, but they were all deadly and dangerous in their own ways.

There was some conversation on how you all managed to survive, Percy simply explaining that you had all hid and that the dragon flew away. Scanlan seemed disappointed, but it was the truth after all. No one here wanted to die, so it was fortunate that they had found a way to avoid it. Percy didn't look proud of what had happened, but he knew it was all they could do. He squeezed your hand lightly, getting comfort from the fact that you were still well.

There was a discussion with the council as to what to do now. Fince suggested the offering of gold in exchange for peace, which was immediately shot down. Uriel decided that at dawn, Krieg would move their soldiers at dawn. Not everyone liked the plan, but Uriel concluded the discussion. After that, the guards pushed the group out. Vex rubbed her head, looking frustrated. "I had that feeling again. It must be connected. One of them is working for that fucker," she said, patting trinket on the head as she continued to think. "It sounds like it could be Fince. The way he acts is alarming to say the least."

Keyleth nodded before looking over the city below. "So, what are we doing next?" She asked, figuring that they wouldn't be allowed back in the palace anytime soon. The group paused until Vex came up with a plan.

"Vax and Pike will need to go and find a weapon to kill a dragon. I'm sure Gilmore will have some offer for you, considering how much he likes you," Vex said to Vax with a smirk, patting his back. "The rest of us will split up and look around for Fince. If you find anything, let everyone else know."

Everyone dispersed. You attempted to go your own way, but Percy continued to follow you. You turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't we supposed to split up? It's a good way to cover more ground," you said, realizing that since you found Percy, he was always latching on to you. You didn't mind it, but you also wanted to make sure that you could do your job.

"Well yes, but there are still guards around the city. If one recognizes you and you're alone, that may cause some trouble," he said, walking up to you and holding your hand with a smile. "Besides, two sets of eyes will make it easier to spot anything," it seemed as though he wouldn't budge, so you decided to shrug it off for the time being.

"Mhm, sounds like you're just looking for an excuse to hold my hand," you said, laughing a bit when his face flushed. You looked around the streets, enjoying the sunlight. It felt warm and comforting, as if it was reminding you that you were in a better place. "I was never really out much during the day before. All of my jobs took place at night. I know we're on a mission, but it feels nice to just walk around and pretend we're normal for once."

"Yes, normal," Percy mumbled, looking at the ground. You walked through the streets, seeing all kinds of shops and people. It was just a normal day for everyone. They went about their lives without so much as a care. You two reached a fountain in the middle of a park, watching the water spill out into a pond. The plants surrounding them were flush and green, covering them from the view of others.

"Hey Percy," you said with a mischievous look, splashing him with some of the water before he could fully turn around. You laughed when he groaned, quickly trying to flee. "Hah! I got you! I bet you can't catch me!" You said, running down the path and away from him. You used to do things like this when you both were kids, which made you feel nostalgic.

"Oh no you don't," Percy said, a playful smirk on his face. He chased you, catching up and grabbing you. He pinned you to a wall, the both of you laughing. He looked down at you, his hair messy from running and his cheeks pink. He stared into your eyes before his gaze trailed down to your lips. Suddenly, he pressed his body into yours, leaning further into your space. Your lips were hovering above each other, so close that he could feel your hot breath. You couldn't help but close your eyes, anticipating the warm feel of his soft lips touching your own. However, before that could happen, you two were interrupted.

"Hey, no fucking in the park. At least give me the chance to join in if you do," Scanlan said with a snicker, his large purple hand appearing and pulling Percy away from you. He shook his head, making a 'tsk' noise under his breath. "Kids these days. Stick to the bedroom. Or at least go somewhere hidden before you do your thing."

"Scanlan, what is the meaning of this?" Percy said, looking visibly angry after the hand let him go. It looked like he would have beaten Scanlan up if they weren't in public. He squeezed his fists hard, digging his nails into his palms as he gave him a death glare.

"We found Fince. Come on, everyone else is waiting," he said, moving between you and Percy. "Well hello there. Let's get going. On the way you can hear stories of my great achievements," he said to you with a prideful smirk, grabbing your hand and dragging you along. Percy followed suit, a trail of black mist being left behind as dark thoughts filled his mind.

You were tired of listening to Scanlan by the time you arrived with the rest of the group. Most of his stories sounded fake, which wouldn't surprise you. As the others worked on the lock, you touched your lips, still feeling the tingling sensation. You two were so close to kissing. If you had just one more second alone, it would have happened. You knew that you still had feelings for Percy, but you were worried about getting together again. You were not the same person as before. You've done horrible things to survive, things that you'd never tell a soul. You didn't want him to see you as a horrible person, but you also didn't want to push off your feelings for the chance that he might find someone else. Conflicted, you stood close to Percy, holding his hand in yours. This seemed to please him, as the look of anger left his face.

Some from the group attempted to unlock a massive locked door, which Fince had entered. In the end, Vax unlocked the door with a toothpick easily. Once the group entered, it was discovered that Krieg lived there. It was a massive building, the ceilings seeming to stretch endlessly over their heads. It was dark and empty, making their voices echo through the bare halls. The group was going to split up, until they discovered a trap door under a rug. Fince was in the room at the end of the stairs. He appeared to be grabbing scrolls and items, but he stopped when the group pulled out their weapons. "We caught you, now drop your blade!" Scanlan said confidently.

"What? No, no, you don't understand. I'm not stealing anything," Fince tried to explain, holding his sword up as a means of protection. The group didn't seem convinced, so he tried to explain. "You must listen to me. These documents are evidence that General Krieg is planning to-" he stopped, choking as a sword was thrusted into his chest from behind. He dropped to the ground when it was removed, revealing Krieg, who had been standing right behind him.

The group seemed confused at first, but Vex realized that it was actually him connected to the dragon. Once it was pointed out, Krieg rolled his eyes. "Of course it was me. But now that you know, you have no idea how much trouble you've gotten yourselves into," he said before turning and running back down the hallway, disappearing into the darkness.

The group chased him, but he seemed to vanish in thin air. "He's gone," Scanlan said with a perplexed look, stating the obvious. They were in a large room, all of the walls having bookshelves filled with all sorts of interesting things. Everything in the room seemed to have a dragon theme.

"Quite the keen observation, Scanlan," Percy said dismissively, walking past him with you in tow. He seemed to hold a grudge against Scanlan at the moment, most likely from the incident at the park. "There must be a hidden entrance or a trap door. Fan out. Look for some kind of fulcrum. A lever, a button. Just… stand over there, Grog, and don't touch anything," he said, knowing that Grog wasn't the smartest.

You glanced through some of the books, not being able to understand most of what it was about. Percy seemed to have a better idea of their contents, so you ended up watching him try and get any clues. "I wonder what Krieg was doing with all of this information. Something doesn't seem right," you said to him, which made him nod in return. Everyone had a strange feeling about the room that they were in.

While Grog stared at the erotic painting on the wall, Keyleth thought he was being creepy and threw a book at him. After it bounced off of his head, it flew into the painting, revealing that it was a portal. The group entered it after much fuss from Scanlan, ending up in a cold mountain cave. There were riches and gold, making most of the group rush ahead immediately to grab all that they could. You shivered, rubbing your arms. You never wore anything particularly warm, so you felt freezing in this place.

Suddenly, you felt a jacket being wrapped around you, looking up to see Percy. "You looked cold. Don't worry, you can just give it back later. I can't have you freezing on me now," he said, tapping your forehead with his finger. He wrapped his arm around your shoulders to keep you close, so that you two could share body heat. You felt guilty about taking his jacket, but it helped you feel warm. His coat was well made and smelled like him, which calmed your nerves easily.

"Wait! This gold didn't just fall out of the sky. This is a horde, we're in a dragon's lair," Vex said, making everyone drop all of the treasures they had picked up. Krieg was aware of their presence, standing on a ledge to peer down at them. The room got colder and the group fell silent, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm impressed. To tell you the truth, I was certain you would die the moment you met the mighty Brimscythe. But it seems some vermin are harder to kill than others," Krieg said, his look disdainful as he watched them. His posture was intimidating, looking like he could strike at any moment.

"You wanted Uriel to send the entire army out of Emon. So your dragon friend could wipe them out," Vex said, realizing the gravity of the situation. Everyone looked at each other nervously, knowing that this encounter could not end well. If he was friends with the dragon that almost killed them, then this could be just as bad as before.

"The Age of Man is coming to an end. There was a time when dragons ruled all of Tal'dorei, when we ruled the entire world," Krieg said, looking more menacing by the second as his facial features began to fluctuate.

"Did he just say 'we'?" Percy said what everyone else was thinking. Suddenly, Kriegs eyes began to glow blue and lightning struck all around him. He started to morph, turning from a human into the dragon that they had come to know. The dragon immediately blasted its blue beam through the group, not giving them much time to react. They all scattered in different directions, trying to avoid its attacks.

"Vax! Did Gilmore give you any insight on how to kill this thing or did you two flirt the whole time?!" Percy veiled to Vax, aiming his pepperbox at the dragon and firing. Each shot did nothing to deter the beast. You threw your knives at it, but they bounced off without leaving a single scratch. He yanked you towards him when the dragon snapped at you, barely missing.

"Shit, right. Dragons are vain, arrogant, egotistical," Vax was cut off when the dragon appeared right behind him and Vex, pushing between the two. He realized that to get it on the ground, they'd have to do something involving its neck. He vocalized his thoughts and Vex seemed to have a plan. Once everyone knew what to do, they all went in different directions.

Scanlan made a vision for the dragon. It was as if the entire group was fighting with each other, not working together in the slightest. This seemed to distract it, giving you time to get in your position. Once the dragon destroyed the copies and realized what had happened, everyone sprung into action.

You and the others worked on gaining its attention and attacking it. You ran with Percy, both of you aiming at the dragon's head. He shot his firearm while you threw your knives. It struggled quite a bit, but it couldn't free itself from Keyleth's vines. Vax came in and sliced the dragon's throat, leaving a massive, gaping wound. Once Pike enchanted Vex's arrow, she aimed and fired straight into the wound. This made the dragon howl in anger, not having enough strength to fly. Since it was now on the ground, Grog was in the perfect position to fight. He raged, sprinting up to it and cutting its skull in half with enough power to blast everyone back. Everyone stood there for a moment, shocked that they had actually killed a dragon together.

Once it was confirmed that the dragon was dead, Grog took one of his teeth as evidence of their victory. Soon after, the cave began to crumble and the group sprinted towards the portal they had arrived in. Scanlan just barely made it, having tried to bring a lot of loot with him.

You felt shaken as you made it out, smiling. "We did it. I can't believe we just killed a dragon," you said, squeezing Percy into a hug. It was hard to think that a week earlier, you were against the law and willing to do anything for money. Now, you had a team and you all worked together to protect Emon. It was a complete shift that made you happier than ever.

The group made it back to the palace to be congratulated by Uriel. "Vox Machina, for your selfless heroism, I proclaim you all Protectors of the Realm and honorary members of the council of Tal'Dorei. I know. I can't hardly believe it myself," he said when the group looked shocked, laughing with the other members of the council.

The golden box was then dropped down in front of them. Scanlan, Vex, and Vax immediately went up to it, having waited for their reward for quite a while. Upon opening it, the group discovered a scroll and some keys. "Keys? Parchment? Where's our reward?" Scanlan asked, holding both of the items in his hands. He was upset, having hoped for a pile of gold.

"You're holding it. The deed to your new keep here in Emon. We need our protectors close at hand to, you know, protect," Uriel said. Most of the group seemed happy, but when Scanlan asked about selling it, all of the council glared at him, making him shut up. Everyone else smiled amongst each other, relieved at the thought that they finally had a home.

"As protectors, you must understand that the threat is far from over. We suspect Krieg may have been part of a larger plot. As such, I have arranged an important banquet to discuss the security of our realm. It'll be quite delightful, really. We have a wonderful cook. We trust that you'll all attend," Uriel said, not looking for their agreement. The group simply had to show up and behave. He waved them all away and you started to head over to your new home.

When you got to the keep, the group explored every nook and kranny. There was plenty of food and you each got your own bedroom. It was clean and comfortable, something that many of them hadn't seen in years. Most of the group retired early because they were tired, but you ended up in the kitchen, looking for something to eat. Next to you, Scanlan ranted on and on about how he was a great adventurer and that people couldn't get enough of him.

"Yeah, it's hard for people to resist my charm, speaking of which, I get lonely without a cuddle buddy at night. Maybe you could help me out with that?" He asked flirtatiously, his hand sliding closer to you on the bench that you both were sitting at. Before he could touch your thigh, someone cleared their throat from the entrance of the room.

There stood Percival. He had his arms crossed with an extremely angry expression. He glared at Scanlan before he walked over, grabbing your arm and dragging you out of the room without saying a word. He pulled you down the hall, walking fast and keeping a tight grip on your arm. You couldn't pull away even if you tried.

"Percy? What's wrong? Slow down a bit, I can barely keep up," you said, trying to walk at his pace. You felt worried, wondering why Percy looked so livid. Before you knew it, you were in his room. He closed the door and locked it, turning to you with an angry expression. "Percy…?"

"Do you like him?" He asked suddenly, stepping closer to you. "How could you like someone like him. He wouldn't treat you well, he's only interested in sex. I don't know why you humor him when he talks that way, but I will not just stand by while you get with that man. I won't allow it," his voice began to raise as he got closer and closer to you.

You felt your heart hammer in your chest as he got closer, pressing yourself up against the wall as you stepped back. "What are you talking about? I don't like Scanlan that way. Most of the time he just starts talking to me and I don't know how to get out of that," you said nervously. Suddenly, he pinned you to the wall with your hands next to your head, frustration written all over his face.

"No one is going to interrupt me now. I am tired of people stepping in at the wrong moment or trying to take you away from me. I will not let anyone else have you, (Y/n). I love you. I have never stopped loving you. When I found you it felt like my heart could burst. I don't want to lose you again, whether it be through death or someone stealing you away. Be mine, again. I will never let anything happen to you. I vow to always be by your side and treat you better than anyone else can," he said, the words spilling out as if he had been holding it in for a while. He dipped down to your level, catching your lips in his before you could respond. The kiss was passionate and sweet, releasing all of the pent up emotions you both felt. He squeezed your hands, entangling your fingers as the moment became heated.

You closed your eyes, kissing back as the warm feeling of love filled your chest. You could feel every emotion that he kept hidden. The love, the want, the sheer desire. He kissed you as if it was his only need, above even breathing. Once he let go of your arms, you wrapped them around his neck and pulled him in closer. Your mind was blank, thinking of nothing but how he felt. The pure passion overwhelmed you, suffocating your senses. All around you was him. His smell, his taste. You could feel nothing but love. Once you two pulled away, you smiled at him, a dazed look on your face. "Oh Percy, I love you as well. I'm sorry if it seemed like I was interested in another man. No one has my heart like you do, Percival."

He seemed pleased with this, pulling you into another kiss. "You belong to me, and only me. Never forget that," he murmured against your lips, keeping you in a tight embrace. You didn't leave his room that night, instead falling asleep in his arms, feeling warm and safe in your new home with the one you loved most.

Chapter Text

"I don't know anything. I've told you this plenty of times," you said, dejected. You were lying on your back, your face wet from the cloth that Delilah held over you. She simply shrugged before putting it back on, having Sylas pour water onto the cloth again. You gasped for breath, struggling against your binds as you felt like you were drowning. No matter how many times they did this, the panic never went away. The ropes dug into your wrists, making them bleed more than they already had. Most of your strength had vanished. After how much they put you through, you felt like a hollow shell of what you used to be.

"You're not a very good liar. Fine, we'll call it quits for today. Sylas, be a dear and bring her outside, will you?" She asked him, stroking his cheek with her gloved hand. He obeyed, dragging you outside by the rope attached to your neck. He pulled you into the middle of a courtyard, where there was a pair of shackles chained to a small wall. The shackles were put around your wrists and ankles, Sylas leaving without a word when he was done.

It was winter and you were surprised that the cold hadn't killed you yet. You were still wet from the water that had been poured on you all day. The snow made you stick to the ground and the frozen atmosphere slowly settled in. You shivered, staring up towards the sky. You clasped your hands together as best as you could, kneeling in the snow. You began to pray to the stars. You prayed that you could run away from all of this hell. You prayed that there was a chance that Percy and Cassandra were still alive. You watched a shooting star fly across the sky, wishing to be free.

You heard some rustling from the bushes nearby, quickly turning to look. Out stepped an old man wearing a tattered blue cloak. Age had not been kind to him, as his eyes were sunken in and his body looked like it could barely keep him up. He walked over to you, taking off his hood so that he could see you better. "You there, you don't appear to be enjoying yourself. What's the matter?"

You looked at him, wondering if he was just your mind playing tricks on you. You didn't recognize him from the castle, and there was no way anyone from the outside could penetrate the walls. You sighed, deciding to go along with this fantasy of having someone to talk to. "Well, things have taken a dark turn in this kingdom. Everyone I've known and loved has been killed. The people who did it torture me everyday and then leave me outside here. I wish to be free. I wish to make them suffer for what they've done."

"Is that what you truly wish?" The man asked, closing his eyes when you agreed. He reached his hand into his cloak, pulling out a potion. Inside, it looked to be liquid silver. It swayed side to side as he held it. "I might be able to help you with that. If this is your desire, take this. Just know that everything comes with a price."

You took the vial from him, swirling it around as you thought. Even if this wasn't a fantasy, you had to take anything you could to get out of here. You were on the verge of death and you didn't want to die before the Briarwoods got what was coming to them. You popped off the cork, taking a deep breath before swallowing the liquid. You felt immense pain, doubling over in agony. It felt like every part of you was on fire, a burning feeling coursing through your veins. You clenched your teeth, trying to look for the man but he had disappeared into the night. Soon, you shut down and collapsed into the snow, not waking for a very long while.

You awoke suddenly when Percy shot up from bed. You could see sweat drip down his face as his breath was heavy. His eyes were wild as he looked around the room, as if he was trying to reassure himself that he was back at the keep. You sat up as well, rubbing the sleep from your eyes.

"Percy? Are you alright?" You asked, moving your hand to rub circles into his back. You knew he suffered from nightmares, especially after what had happened to him. You rested your head on his chest, hearing his quick heartbeat. He didn't respond, only staring off into the distance. "I'm guessing that it was a bad dream?"

"Is there any other kind?" He asked before standing up, wrapping his coat around him. He took your hand, helping you to stand as well before you both exited the room. You didn't talk as you walked around the keep. You simply held his hand, squeezing it occasionally to let him know that you were here for him. His features were unreadable as he stared ahead. You knew exactly what he was thinking of, and it hurt to know that you couldn't do much to help. You both stepped out into the yard, staring into the sky as he stopped walking. The moment felt peaceful, as if he was finally able to collect his thoughts.

You looked up at him, seeing just how tired he was. There were deep bags under his eyes, showing that this had been going for a very long time. You stepped in front of him, holding both of his hands in your own. "You don't have to speak, I know that it still hurts you. I want you to know that I will always be here if you need someone to lean on. I love you, Percival. I hope that one day we can both heal," you said before leaning up and placing a kiss on his lips.

He remained silent, but his features softened as he kissed back. You two stood out there for a great while, holding each other in your arms and taking the time to grieve alone. It was silent as you both headed back to his room. He didn't sleep, but you lied with him, running your fingers through his hair. You stayed up with him until morning, not wanting to sleep and leave him alone with his thoughts.

The next morning, everyone was gathered in the kitchen, eating breakfast. You sat next to Percy, watching as Keyleth entered the room, bright and happy. You and the others seemed tired, having not gotten completely comfortable in your new home. Vax came over to sit at the table, only to get a nut shot right before he could set his food down. Vax groaned, straining to stand up. "I never agreed to this stupid game."

"Must you?" Percy said with a sigh, not amused with their antics. He was still tired, which made him a bit more grumpy than usual. You noticed how he was just picking at his food instead of eating it. You nudged him and pointed to it, which made him smile softly. He ate a couple bites, knowing that would make you happy.

"We can't all be aloof tight-asses, de Rolo," Scanlan said, narrowing his eyes at Percy. Yesterday had been very tense between the two of them, especially after Percy barged in and took you away. Scanlan was still upset from this and not hiding it. His retort made Percy agitated, but didn't bother him too much. You were perfect in his eyes, and it made sense that other men would want you as well. However, it was his job to make sure that you only ever belonged to him. While keeping eye contact with Scanlan, he wrapped his arm around your waist and placed a kiss on your head.

"I'm simply suggesting you all could benefit from some well-practiced restraint," Percy responded. You had always known him to be a proper gentleman. Even when working with other mercenaries, he always took on that look. After his days of being an heir to the throne, he still strived to continue on with the life that he had once before. You weren't the same as him completely, but you still remembered how to act in those situations.

"Emotions aren't meant to be bottled up. Maybe you should cut loose once in a while," Vex said, placing herself into the conversation. She always seemed to have this sort of look when talking to Percy. You knew that he was handsome, so it wouldn't surprise you if Vex had a crush on him. However, you didn't like it very much, so you held onto his arm.

Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. It opened and in stepped Allura. "Hello? Uh, Vox Machina? Are you here?" She called out, uncertain as she looked around. The group tried to go to her, but the door was stuck. The group argued a bit, trying a couple of different ways before Grog kicked it in. They all stepped out, you staying further in the back with Percy.

Vax waved to Allura with a nervous chuckle. "Lady Allura, welcome. Hope you didn't feel the need to bring a housewarming present," he said, half bowing to her as the others followed behind. Since it was still the morning, most of them didn't come off as presentable.

"I didn't. Alas, I'm only here to remind you that Sovereign Uriel expects you at his dinner," Allura said, unphased about the fact that a door almost crashed into her. Some of the group seemed wary about the news, but Percy seemed excited.

"Finally. A proper evening of protocol and civilized conversation," he said, wrapping one arm around your shoulders while placing the other on his hip. You were glad to see him feeling better, especially after his nightmare earlier. You hadn't been to an actual party in a long while, but you figured it could be a relaxing night if all goes well.

"It's more than a party. Dignitaries from across the realm are here to form a new security pact. We must put our best foot forward," Allura reminded them with a smile, trying to emphasize just how important this party would be.

"Lady Allura, we appreciate the gravity of the situation and will present ourselves with the utmost dignity," Vax said politely with a smile before turning to Grog, quickly elbowing him in the nuts before he had time to react. Grog bent over in pain, admitting defeat while Allura looked less than hopeful for the group.

"I-I shall brief them on royal etiquette and manners. You have my word, nothing will go wrong," Percy said, leading Allura away as he tried to assure her and salvage this situation. He tried to smile confidently, but she simply walked away.

Over the course of a few hours, Percy tried to teach the group best that he could. You used to eat dinners with his family quite often, so you already knew how to act. The others didn't seem to be trying and before you knew it, it was time to get ready. The others went to different rooms to get on their outfits.

"Are you alright? You've been in there for quite a while," Percy remarked as he waited outside of your room. You had gone in to try a couple of different dresses, wanting to make sure that you looked nice for the dinner. There were three of them that fit you nicely. You didn't like the red dress, as it was too bold and flashy. The purple dress had a nice color, but it showed off a lot of cleavage and had less coverage than desired. Once you tried on the last one, it felt perfect.

"Yes, one moment," you said, finishing adjusting your dress. You opened the door and stepped out, wearing a long, navy blue dress. The skirt part had layers of sheer, making it appear flowy. The sleeves went down to your elbows, barely touching your skin as they were done the same way as the skirt part. The entire dress looked ethereal, having sparkles which looked like stars in the night sky. Your hair was done up in a loose bun, strands dangling down and grazing against your bare shoulders. You walked over to him, your dark heels clacking against the floor. "I liked this one the best. What do you think?"

"You look… absolutely stunning," he said, as if his breath had been taken away. From the moment you came out, he stared at you as if you were the only thing in the world that mattered. He wrapped his arms around your waist, leaning in and kissing you softly. "I haven't seen you this beautiful since we were younger. I'm glad that we can still go to parties together," his expression was gentle as he hugged you close, enjoying the moment.

"I'm glad as well. You look very handsome tonight. It almost seems like we're matching," you said with a laugh, raising your hand and stroking his cheek. You two shared one last kiss before you spoke. "Let's go and find the others. I don't think Lady Allura would be too happy if we arrived late," you said, fixing his suit before you worked on gathering up the others. Once you were all together, you left to go to the party.

"Remember what we practiced. Be reserved, be charming. Protocol," Percy reminded everyone, face palming when both Grog and Vax curtsied. "Just follow my lead," he said, walking through the door. Everyone had to check out their weapons for the party. You took out all of your knives, placing them on the counter as the rest of them begrudgingly did the same. You all entered the room, standing side by side as you all were announced. Percy tried to control the situation, but everyone went their own way, leaving the two of you alone.

You took his arm and a glass of champagne, sipping at it as you two greeted some of the other guests. You weren't the best at talking, but Percy engaged with everyone easily. He was in his element, smiling and showing off his charm towards the others. You got many compliments on your dress, others saying that you looked perfect together with Percy.

"This is fantastic. Diplomats are here from all over Tal'Dorei. Fort Daxio, Kymal, Westmount. Even…" Percy was talking to you, acting excited. However, you both stopped in your tracks when the announcer said something that shook you to your core.

"From Whitestone. Lord Sylas and Lady Delilah Briarwood," the voice said as the two of them stepped out. You dropped your drink, feeling your heart hammer as you stared at the two who had ruined your life. They looked like they hadn't aged a day. Memories flashed through your mind. Fear and anger flodded your mind, stopping you from running away or even moving. You looked to Percy, seeing him reach for where his gun usually was. He stared at them with wide, terrified eyes as he began to hyperventilate. The two of you watched the Briarwoods walk through the crowd, an evil look on their faces that no one else seemed to notice.

When asked what was wrong, Percy turned to the group. His hand was clenched around yours so hard that it hurt, but you didn't even notice. You were too terrified to speak, so Percy did the talking. "It's… it's them. Whitestone was our home. Until those fiends took everything."

"What do you want us to do? Should we say something? To Uriel?" Vax asked, trying to think of a way to help. No one knew about yours and Percy's past, but they wanted to help if they could. However, Percy shot down the idea. "Why don't I make myself scarce and slip into their chambers? See if I can figure out what they're up to," Vax suggested, which everyone agreed upon. No one noticed you slipping away from the group, heading off on your own into the courtyard.

You sat on the ground, clutching your chest as you tried to breathe. You remembered everything they had done to you. All of the torture and pain. You heard your families screams as they were slaughtered in front of you. You remember your mother begging to have your life spared right her head was cut off. Tears fell from your cheeks and hit the ground, shimmering in the moonlight. You didn't care much for being proper right now. Percy may be able to handle it, but you couldn't see those two without bile rising in your throat.

You dug your nails into your skin, feeling your eyes burn as the starlight became unbearable. You tried to control your urges, but the desperation for revenge wracked through your mind. You slowly opened your eyes, standing up and walking to the fountain. You looked at your reflection, seeing that your (e/c) eyes had turned silver, along with your hair. You knew what you had to do and you swore that no one would get in your way.

Suddenly, you saw a figure crash through a window and land into the pond. You looked over, white hot hatred filling your being as you saw both Sylas and Delilah standing over a bloodied Vax. You walked over as Sylas grabbed Vax, readying to kill him. "Sylas," You said, watching as he turned to look at you. He smirked, amusement painting over his features. You flung your hands from your sides, glowing silver blades appearing in your palms. You glared at him, pointing one of the daggers at him. "You die here tonight. I'll make sure of it," you said before sprinting over, beginning to slash at him.

"Do I know you? You look familiar," he said with a taunting smirk, dodging your attacks. He dropped Vax to the ground, using his claws to slash at you. He managed to get your face, but that didn't stop your attack. Once he knocked one blade from your hand, another would appear in its place.

"Sylas! Delilah!" You suddenly heard Percy shout. You turned, seeing the rest of the group running over. Percy tried to shoot Delilah, but she quickly disappeared and reappeared next to Sylas. His face was twisted with rage, as he aimed his gun to shoot at her again. His hand was shaky, showing that his restraint was all but diminishing.

"Would you look at that, dear. "It's the two pups who survived, all grown up," Delilah remarked with a condescending tone, making Vex's arrows disappear as she fired them. She then blew the two back, sending them flying a couple feet away.

Through all this, Sylas managed to get away from you and focus on Grog. You focused on Delilah next, throwing your blades at her head. They either disappeared into a dark mist or were blocked. Everytime that happened, your frustration grew, making you more and more unstable. The others tried to attack her, but they couldn't make it anywhere near her before being blown away.

Delilah disappeared from you, stopping Pike before she could cause anymore trouble for Sylas. You tried to follow, exerting your energy to the point that silver liquid dripped from your mouth. You screamed in pain, managing to conjure a large blade and throwing it at her. However, before it could hit Delilah, Keyleth raised a wall of plants to stop Sylas from killing Pike. Your blade shot into the plant, getting in deep but missing Delilah.

You collapsed to the ground, coughing up the silver liquid as your vision began to fade. It was impossible to accept the fact that you had missed your chance to kill them. Your mind began to clear as you heard guards approaching, seeing Percy with a terrifying look on his face. This shouldn't have happened this way. You two were supposed to get revenge. They were supposed to pay. You reached a hand out towards his direction, straining as you spoke. "Percy…" You whispered as your eyes fluttered close. You feel into a deep, dark sleep.

Chapter Text

When you awoke, your head was pounding and you could barely open your eyes. There was a bright light surrounding you, glistening with silver. You appeared to be in a different plane of existence. The floor underneath your feet felt nonexistent, as if you were walking on air. An unknown light source made all of the walla shine, giving the place an ethereal look. You slowly stood up, looking around as you walked towards a set of doors. They opened as you approached, revealing a room. There was a woman lounging on an elegant looking chaise. She looked to be in her thirties, but you knew she was quite older than that. Her skin was porcelain, smooth without a single wrinkle. Her hair and eyes were a bright silver, matching her long, elegant dress. She raised a slender finger, using it to beckon you over.

You swallowed hard before approaching her, getting down and kneeling. You decided to speak, as she hadn't yet. "I'm sorry for my failure. It was unexpected to see them there," you said, bowing your head. You tried to act as sorry as you could, wanting to avoid any sort of punishment.

The woman let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh. "Oh, but I thought you were planning to kill them on sight for years. Did you forget our deal? What's at stake?" She said, her voice turning from soft into cruel anger. "If you're not going to fulfill your part of the deal, I don't see why I should let you keep my power."

"Wait," you said, looking up at her. You hated that horrible grin she had. You hated the power she held over you. "I'm going to get them this time. Both of them. I promise that soon they will be yours."

The woman looked skeptical, but also entertained. "Fine, I've decided to give you another chance. I'm expecting results. You know what happens when you fail me," she said before swirling her finger in the air. A dark hole appeared under you, making you drop into the endless abyss. You closed your eyes, feeling determination. You knew what you had to do. Not for her, but for yourself.

You shot up from your bed, gasping for air as sweat dotted your face. You looked around, realizing that you were in Percy's room. He was sitting on a chair next to the bed, a solemn look in his eyes. "Percy…?" You asked wearily. Your entire body ached with pain, every part hurt in its own way. Your head wasn't pounding as bad as before, but your stomach turned when you remembered everything that had happened. You lost control and exerted your powers too much, and everyone saw.

"What happened there?" He asked you, turning up to look at your eyes. He looked confused, but was also worried. "I've never seen anything like that before. You never had those powers when we were children. By the time I got to you, you were barely alive."

You bit your lip, trying to figure out how to explain it. You knew you couldn't lie to him, so you told the truth. "I wasn't supposed to live this long. I was to die in Whitestone. After all of the torture, starving, and being left outside in the cold, I was on the verge of death. A man came to me and asked what I wanted. I told him I wished to exact revenge. I told him I wished to be free. He gave me a vial with silver liquid and I drank it. It saved me from dying, giving me these cursed powers," you said, knowing you couldn't reveal the full story yet. "I'm sorry, but I can't say anymore."

Percy listened intently, his brows furrowing when you were done. He looked as if he wanted to question everything you had said. However, he kept it in, not wanting to make you feel worse. He sighed, sitting next to you on the bed and pulling you into an embrace. "I'll let it slide for now, but I do want the full story later," he said before tapping your forehead. "We have some bad news. Soon after you passed out, Uriel and the guards stopped us. We are on house arrest until they figure out what to do."

You had a feeling that this would happen. It didn't look good with you all fighting the Briarwoods. You rested your head on his chest, taking a deep breath to calm yourself. "I suppose I'm not surprised. At least we weren't thrown in jail or something of that nature," you said, feeling Percy's arms tighten. You felt like you were locked in place, not able to move from the embrace. "Percy, are you alright?"

"I wasn't able to protect you, (Y/n)," he said, his voice quivering. "You could have died. I'm supposed to be your shield and make sure nothing could ever touch you. Instead, I got caught up in my own hatred. I wanted to kill them. I wanted to kill their servant. I didn't even think of you," his voice was shaky as he clutched you tight to his body. You could hear his heart hammer in his chest. He looked at the fresh cut on your face from being slashed at by Sylas. He had cleaned it and wrapped it the best he could, but the guilt still ate away at him.

"It's alright Percy, we both were under the spell of revenge. I couldn't think of anything else but it. I was blinded by it and in turn I wasn't thinking about my own being, nor of those around me. It's not your fault. It's not a surprise after everything they've done," you said to reassure him, but his grip didn't loosen.

"I can't ever lose you. I would die without you. I would kill anyone to keep you by my side," his tone took a strange turn as he spoke, making you uneasy. "I love you more than anything in the world. I love you so much my heart could burst. I'll kill anyone who dares to touch you again," there was a strange look in his eyes. He was smiling at this point, but he seemed disconnected from reality. He kissed you deeply, an insatiable kiss filled with hunger. The passion and obsession from the action overwhelmed your mind, almost making you dizzy. You clutched onto his jacket, gasping for breath when he pulled away.

His mind seemed to clear and he blushed, realizing what he had said and done. "I'm sorry, I suppose I got caught up in the moment," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. While you felt concerned over what had just happened, you decided that it was still him processing the fact that you two were finally together. Once you felt fine getting up, you headed to the dining table where everyone was sitting.

Scanlan was flipping through some sort of strange book. Percy explained to you as to what it was, so you watched with interest. Grog was lifting two boulders attached to a stick and Pike huddled in the corner of the room, staring at something in the dim shadows. Tensions were high and nobody seemed to be in a good mood except for Keyleth.

You stood next to Percy, watching as he sketched a floor plan. He was possibly trying to come up with something to do now that they were stuck in this keep. Suddenly, Vex approached and swiped the plans right from under him. He turned to her, having an annoyed expression. "I was using that,"

"We need to talk. All of us. Percival? (Y/n)?" She said, looking at the two of you. You knew that they would want to know what happened last night. You sat down next to Percy, holding his hand from under the table.

"Certainly. What would you like to discuss, Vex'ahlia?" He asked in an overly fake polite tone. There was frustration in his eyes, but the two of you knew that there would be no getting out of this without an explanation.

"For a start, what the hell happened back there? You never thought to mention that the Briarwoods killed both of your family's?" She asked, leaning in and looking at the two of you. The moment was interrupted by Grog dropping his weights on accident, but that hardly lightened the mood.

"I wasn't aware that you were owed information on either of our pasts," Percy said, squeezing your hand from under the table. It didn't surprise you that no one knew about what happened. After going through all of that, it's not exactly something you want to bring up often.

"When your past comes to kill us, I'd say we deserve a heads-up," Vex said, crossing her arms. She looked down at you, talking as if she were absolutely right and Percy was refuting a hopeless argument.

"And how exactly were we supposed to know the Briarwoods would be attending?" Before the argument could get anymore heated, Keyleth stood up abruptly and shouted the first thing that came to her mind.

"I want to know about the smoke! A-And the silver stuff!" She seemed sheepish when everyone stared at her with wide eyes. "Sorry. I… d-d… Loud. Sorry," she said before slowly sitting back in her chair.

"Smoke? My weapon burns black powder. Perhaps that's what you saw," Percy said, trying to deflect any attention off of you. You didn't remember anything about smoke, however you weren't really paying attention to anyone else during the fight.

"What we saw was you shooting an innocent kid. And you, you changed completely. Your hair was different. Your eyes changed. " Vex said, pointing at you. She narrowed her eyes at you, looking suspicious. You sank a bit into your seat, not liking the interrogation that was happening.

"No one employed by the Briarwoods is innocent," Percy simply responded. You knew that was true in a lot of ways, but there were always people who were naive to their evil when hired by the Briarwoods.

"The boy knew nothing," Vex said, slapping her hand against the table in front of Percy. It was as if she was trying to emphasize her point. "He was terrified!"

"Slightly more so after you exploded his hand," Vax added, making you look at Percy. You may not have seen what had happened, but you remembered the terrifying look on his face. You shivered at the memory, realizing what he had done.

Percy sighed, lowering his eyes down to the table. "Maybe I got carried away. But you don't know the Briarwoods. What they did to my family. To (Y/n)'s family," his eyes looked distant as the slaughter replayed in his mind over and over.

"Then why don't you two tell us?" Keyleth asked in a soft voice, the rest of the group's eyes on you two. It felt nerve wracking, knowing that you would have to expose those memories again.

Percy sighed before beginning his part of the story. "When they arrived in Whitestone, the Briarwoods came as allies. But they brought dark ambitions, and allowed no one to stand in their way. Not even children. They slaughtered us in cold blood… Seizing my ancestral home. Even our tutor, the man my parents entrusted with our safekeeping betrayed us. After enduring weeks of torture, my sister, Cassandra, and I tried to escape together. But…" he trailed off, closing his eyes.

The rest of the group turned to you to hear your side. You bit your lip before going into your own background. "The Briarwoods knew that I was close to the De Rolo family. I spent most of my time there and nothing much was hidden from me. The Briarwoods came to my home personally, killing each of my family members and forcing me to watch. I was dragged to Percy's old home and tortured for months while I was there. I was barely alive when I tried to escape. I managed to, but at a great cost," you concluded, not able to meet the eyes of the others. Percy traced circles into your palm, most likely trying to keep the both of you calm.

"The Briarwoods know we're alive now, and they are not in the habit of leaving loose ends," he said, looking at you. You thought the same thing, worried about what could happen to the both of you.

"So, what's your plan?" Vex asked, placing the paper she had taken earlier back in front of him. While the group didn't look very confident, they were determined to back you two up. You felt a bit of happiness as you leaned your head on Percy's shoulder, listening as he explained his thoughts to everyone.

"The thing about an old keep like this, it's quite easy to miss small details," Percy said as he ran his hands across the walls, feeling for something to give. He knocked on different parts of it, finding a hollow spot. He opened it, revealing a door to some kind of basement. You walked in the front with Percy, straining to see in the dark. You were worried you might accidentally bump into a wall or something, but Percy had a good hold on your waist to prevent that from happening. You eventually arrived at some sort of chain. Percy pulled it, making the door above shift and open. He started to step out, only to stop in his tracks.

The guards stood above the door, having unimpressed expressions. They hauled you all out, bringing you back into your keep. They separated the group by twos, having them stay in different spaces. You and Percy were tossed to the ground in his room.

"Your group clearly can't be trusted, so we're separating you, like children," the head guard said simply before closing the door and locking you both in.

You sat on his bed as he went to his drawing board, pulling out his plans for his pepperbox and beginning to work. You two were mostly silent, processing what you both had heard.

"I had no idea what happened to you," you said quietly, watching him pause. "I always thought that they killed you with everyone else. I spent so long blaming myself, thinking that if I was with you, somehow things would be different. I never tried hard to find you because… I thought you were gone." Tears began to well in your eyes. You tried to wipe them, but they kept coming as the ache increased in your chest.

"I thought the same," Percy replied, setting down his tool. "I saw your family after they were dead. There wasn't much to recognize beyond the occasional head. I thought you were in that pile as well. Everytime I would remember that image, I felt like vomiting. I felt like screaming as loud as I could to the gods." He turned to look at you, approaching. He wiped some tears from your cheeks with his handkerchief, looking deep into your eyes.

"I don't want them to get away with this. All of the horror needs to end. Every night my dreams are a repeat of all the pain I went through. I want to rid the world of their evil. I don't want everyone in Whitestone to have died in vain," you said, feeling his arms wrap around you. It was his attempt to keep the both of you calm.

"We will, I promise. They will not get away with everything they've done. It will be you and me, together until the end of this long journey," he said, running his fingers through your hair. He began to hum a soft, familiar tune as he took one of your hands. You began to sway with him, closing your eyes and focusing on his voice. The keep was quiet beyond a couple of noises, but now you two felt like the only ones in the world. You fell into his embrace on the bed, tangling your limbs together as you stared into each other's eyes.