14 Chapter 14

-UNEDITED-

Ember watched as butlers and servers flooded the throne room as Pele and Ember held each other with joy as Ember felt herself sink into the background. She just wanted to disappear at this point, she felt the Queen's icy blue eyes narrow her down on her. Ember watched as the Queen left from her throne and walked up to Ember.

"You know, if it wasn't for the fact I was told by Wilbur, Hestia would have been the one chosen. Such a cruel fate for a girl so young, so obident, but that fate for you? Oh, I wish I could go there and watch you die myself." The Queen whispered in Ember's ears as Ember's eyes widened in fear. "But we both knew you would have admitted to it if I had chosen one of the other girls, you're little consicence wouldn't be able to handle it. Oh and, I hope you don't think you'll be able to get visits from your Father." Ember felt her hands curl into fists by her side but she didn't do anything but look forward and attempt to block out the words

Ember couldn't stand this woman, that this person. No, the correct word for her was demon, was the one calling the shots, telling people what to do, making the laws. Who in their minds gave birth to such a creature that not even Ember could have imangined being this sadistic."And don't even think about ending it all, I'll just pick Pele, I know you and her are really close nowadays. It would just break your little heart to know that you sent your friend to their death." 

The Queen leaned away from her ear with a sadistic grin. As the Queen walked away, Ember looked over at Pele and Hestia, who were nervously eating the food provided to them. As a butler passed by with a couple small things of butterbeer she grabbed it and took a sip of it. She had to give all the chefs in this palace, they knew how to fix good beverages. While she couldn't speak much about the other food other then meat but they did that good too.

However, in Ember's very baised opinion, it would never top anything her parents made. Ember sighed sadly as she thought back to the small house with a white picket fence and the door a ray of bright colors ranging from mint green to neon blue. The smell of carmel and chocolate wafting through the house for no reason and the sight of the sun rising over the mountains that she had grown to see as a friend.

The loudness of the market and the beauty of stalls. And her father, she wondered how he was holding up, was he doing okay? Was he managing by without? What was he going to think when his daughter would be sent off to a war she didn't start, a war that had been raging for centuries. Ember took another sip of her bervage of choice and glanced over at the Queen who was back on her throne with a sadistic smirk that reached her icy blue eyes and her pale lips streched. The Queens eyes darted over to face Ember and her smirk only widened.

Ember forced herself to look away from the Queen and she took a last sip from the beverage before she walked out. She walked her way to her room and threw the glass at the wall. She felt the tears she had back fall down her cheeks, a small hiccup came from her as she broke down into sobs. Sniffling and hiccups came from her as tears continued to fall freely down her rosy cheeks, Ember looked down at the golden necklace on her neck that she refused to take off and she clutched it and held it against her chest as her sobs only became worse.

She attempted to take in deep breaths of air but it didn't help. It was at moments like this that Ember begged for her parents, when everything in her world became so much harder to bare and she felt like the world was crumbling at her feet. Ember rocked back and forth as the sobs racked her body, her earthy brown eyes becoming red and puffy as she whispered to herself."Mommy... I want mommy." She begged to the gods, "I want to go home, please just let me go home." She cried out as she felt her tears stream down her cheeks. 

The room was unlit as Ember pushed herself into a corner as she cried. Atherton peeked from the bathroom and saw Ember in a horrible mental state. He had never seen her this horrbiliy messed up before, she was crying out for her mother who she knows is dead. It was almost like she was reverted back to 9 years old.

Atherton took a deep breath and left the bathroom, turning into his puppy form and walked up to her and snuggled his way onto her lap. Ember subconciously grabbed onto him and held him close to her. Her tears hit his fur but he didn't mind, he just let her hold him. "Atherton... what am I supposed to do?" She sobbed.

Atherton focused on speaking, "You do what you have always done, adapt to it, figure out a plan, be the smart girl your parents and I know you are." Atherton encouraged with a small yip.

Ember sniffled, "This is way bigger then those problems, how am I even supposed to make a plan with the Queen breathing down my back every two seconds making sure I'm not even thinking about it. And even if I did escape, then Pele or Hestia would be chosen instead."

Atherton went silent, that was a big problem, if Ember couldn't figure a way out of this, what she going to do? "Adapt. Play along with her, pretend to a submissive Neko, just enough so she doesn't expect you do anything. Pretend like she broke your spirit." Atherton reasoned.

"Its a good idea, but we both know my temper and pride will be the downfall of this plan unless I can keep it under control." Ember warned.

"Thats why we have to keep it under control." Atherton insisted, "We both know you won't make it if you don't go along with this plan."

"Yeah... I know."

"You have your father to return to, so keep this up for him." Atherton said.

"Yeah, I'll do it for my Dad." Ember grinned as tears continued to roll down her cheeks, "Heh, I look dumb don't I?" She asked.

"You're a young girl in a pretty dress crying in your room, you look like a damsal in distress." Atherton started then snickered, "Yeah, you look really dumb." He laughed.

Ember flipped him off and stood up, "Well, I'm gonna go change and fall asleep." Ember said.

"Well, try not to snore. Again." Atherton said, "Its really annoying when you do." He informed.

"Wha- I do not snore! You take those words and shove them right back into your mouth this instant." Ember said.

"See now I would, if it wasn't true." Atherton laughed.

"Thats not nice!" Ember whined.

"And neither is you snoring all night long and then screaming when you wake up." Atherton said.

"Look, the snoring and nightmares I can't help! So shut up." Ember snapped after Atherton hit a soft spot that should have been an obvious touchy subject. You do not make fun of her night terrors.

"You know, I was just starting to like you again and you just had to mess it up. Don't forget my threat." Ember snapped and walked into the bathroom and slammed it behind her with complete anger.