Robbin's POV
The woman stared at me, not with curiosity from my words but with annoyance and slight anger. Her mouth stirred around and I thought she would finally speak, but when she opened her mouth, spit flew at me and landed on my jacket.
I looked down briefly and heard Phineas take a few steps back, then returning to my side with a box of tissues. I took one out and wiped myself.
"I can see I'm not winning any hearts at the moment," I muttered. I pulled back an empty chair and sat down. Phineas did the same. "Okay, why don't we start from the beginning. What event happened when you decided to side with the rogues?"
The three exchanged disapproving looks, but the curly haired man was the one to speak first.
"We're cousins," he said.
The woman gave him an angry glare. "Raziel!"
"Ten years ago, during the Northerner battle, our parents were sent to help defend the crown from the rogues, but they died."
"That's enough," the woman shouted, fighting to get out of her restraints.
"But they weren't dead," he rushed out, "They left to join the rebellion. Our parents owned a weapons shop, but Valeria and Xavier Nightwalker had the building demolished for their own purposes. We were all broke, everyone in the family doing odd jobs just to stay alive! Our parents soon came for us after the battle and took us out of the Northerner kingdom to join the rogues."
The story shocked me. Valeria and Xavier were names I knew. Hell, everyone knew them. They were Xander's parents. Every now and then, I'd hear about that battle, how many people rebelled against the crown for their opinion to help rogues.
"What Valeria and Xavier did obviously was not favored by all," I admitted, "But the reasons for Pure. We cannot categorize every single Rogue as someone bad, and we cannot view unfavored decisions as an act of evil."
"You're wasting your breath, dragon queen," the female said, "Just give us our punishments."
I looked at each of them deeply. Everyone has their reasons for siding with the rogues, but that doesn't make all of them monsters. Ryker was a monster.
"I have no intentions of punishing you. I will not take your lives. However, in an attempt to commit terrorism, I must give you something, shouldn't I? The three of you will be sent to the front lines to fight with your Rogues."
I watched as their eyes speaking to show nervousness. They were no more than people in their early 20s. Still young, still capable of change.
"If that punishment does not suit you, I will grant you your day in court, let a jury decide will happen to you. If you don't like that either, come with me the capital. I'll grant you all new lives to live with your families. No strings, no deceiving. In return, you bend the knee to Xander and me, your true rulers."
"Bend the knee to you," she retorted, "You think war can be won with words?"
"No, but violence should never be the primary option. I am so sick of always coming to violence. We've lost too many wolves that we can't lose any more." I rose from my seat and pushed the chair in. "The decision, I will leave it up to you. I'll be leaving for the capital at first light. I'd like an answer by then. You give me nothing, you'll stay here and suffer whatever fate the rogues will when the war is won."
Without any more words, I opened the metal door with Phineas following. whatever they decide to do, I hope it's chosen without anger and stubbornness.
" well that was something," Phineas noted as we walk side by side. "You've come a long way, dragon queen."
"don't call me that." I smiled slightly at my brother's approval. "do you think I did the right thing?"
"I think you presented them with fair choices. you gave them opportunities to live or fight."
" I know people didn't support the idea of allowing rogues at a second chance, but I don't think this is what this war is about."
"What do you mean?"
" I think it's about the Nightwalker Dynasty. generation after generation, Nightwalkers have been going against every rule and the royal book, and the citizens aren't too happy with it."
"What do you propose dissolution would be? Get rid of a monarchy?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure what to do. The war will end, and one side will be victorious. If we win, Xander and I will continue to rule the Northerner Kingdom and raise the heir to the throne. but if Ryker wins, he destroys the Nightwalker bloodline, though he never stated what his intentions were after that."
"Do you think he wants the throne?"
"Maybe, but I hope it never comes to that. He might think his reasons are Justified, the Riker would sacrifice innocent lives to get what he wants. who's to say he won't do that if he becomes king?"
"Well, we better make sure that never happens."
"But the only way to do that is with death."
"The war has already begun, Robbin. Death is inevitable. Hell, you killed before, too."
"Yes, but my reasons were justified. Ryker is reckless. He would kill someone because he felt like it. Xander and I will never take innocent lives."
Phineas and I finally made it upstairs and he brought me to my room for the night. By now, it was dark out. The rogues had maybe ten hours before daylight broke the sky. Ten hours to decide their fate. Whatever would be chosen would give them a chance to fight; for their beliefs, lives, or more surprisingly, for us, the kingdom. It was a difficult choice, I imagine.
Before my brother left me, I needed to tell him something. He was in the door frame when I spoke.
"I want to go to the battlefield."
"Are you insane?" Phineas whipped his head around and came towards me.
"Phineas-"
"Your pregnancy is growing by the day, and so is your stomach. What makes you think the rogues won't kill you the first chance they get?"
"It's not that noticeable." I glanced down. I was wearing a loose jacket and when buttoned, it looked like a gap of air separated the fabric from my body.
"Robbin, it's too big of a risk." I gave a defeated look and sat at the edge of my bed. Phineas watched me for a moment before speaking again. "Look, Robbie, the servers will be up soon. Once they are, we'll contact our team up there and find out what's going on. Then, we'll meet with Olympia in the Northerner kingdom."
"It's killing me that I don't know. Every moment I'm not doing something, I'm thinking about him; if he's alive, if he's injured. What if he's already dead? Our son would never know our father, and I'd have to run an entire kingdom by myself! I can't do it without him."
By the time I had finished ranting, I became aware of the tears streaming down my face. It could've been the hormones, but they felt real and unprecedented.
"You love him, don't you?"
"Xander and I are too complicated to love each other. We just-just need one another."
"Need how? If you don't love him, then what do you feel," he asked calmly.
I let out a tired sigh and dropped my head slightly. "I don't know. We're we're together, we're Argumentative, but now that we're separated, I-I don't know."
"You miss him?"
"I shouldn't. He put me through a lot. And while I've forgiven him for his past actions, why should I love him? He's never done anything to show it."
"Maybe he has and you weren't paying attention. Look, you're overthinking all of this. Xander is a strong man, one who wouldn't die so easily. Get some rest and we'll be reassured about the war in the morning, okay?"
I nodded as he wiped my tears away, then bring me into a hug. My eyes closed as I rested on his shoulder. I loved my family so much and was grateful for them being there for me through all of this. I couldn't bare going through this without them, and I was somewhat relieved that Xander had Gus with him right now. Family fights together. That's what we were all doing.
~*~
Morning came but I was up well before daylight. It was time to go back to the Northerner kingdom and control the rogue attacks. Phineas came for me early in the day and updated me on the server situation. They had made contact with the surveillance team up there and confirmed we had the upper ground. Though they had their own dragon, we had the numbers.
He also told me about Xander and Gus, that they were still alive. Relief filled my body and I've been in a state of solace ever since.
We stood along the shore with our dragons, waiting for the three rogues and their decision. They finally came into sight, all handcuffed with silver chains and twenty guards escorting them.
"Good morning," I greeted when they came up to us, " I hope you've come with a decision."
The woman spoke first. "We have. Send us to the fight."
"Are you sure that's what you all want? There will be no second chances."
"Yes," she said hesitantly.
"Very well. I will have you sent there myself. But first, we need to make a detour."
"To where?'
"The capital of the Northerner kingdom."