The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

farewell, twinkling stars

Inspo: a req for Julian comforting Scarlett after the death of the Fallen Star.

Scarlett stood in the throne room of Elantine's palace, left to deal with the shambles of the empire that was now hers. The room was broken and bloody and a mess.

It was odd to think that just a few days ago, she found out her father was the Fallen Star. Just a thirty minutes ago, she aided in killing him. Everyone had flooded out of the throne room, leaving only Scarlett to deal with everything.

      Her knees went weak, before she slumped to the floor completely. Sobs racked her body, shaking everything inside her. Both of her parents were dead. She helped kill her father.

      Gavriel's pain and regret still consumed her own emotions. Just looking at him as he fully absorbed what he had done was a tragedy. All of his emotions storming around in an endless well of pain. Scarlett almost wished Tella hadn't killed him.

      Flashes of him torturing Julian clouded her brain. Gavriel had killed her mother. Gavriel had burned her shoulder. Gavriel had wanted to make her a Fate.

     And yet... and yet she did not hate him.

     Scarlett was so confused. So very confused.

      She couldn't stop the tears and emotions that tore through her, ripping her apart piece by piece. Her whole body shook.

     Arms encased her.

     Scarlett screamed.

      "Sh, Crimson. It's just me."

     Scarlett calmed down.

      Julian. Sweet Julian.

     She turned around to face him. His face was scrunched in confusion and black pity filtered his emotions. Scarlett knew she looked like a mess.

     A worried hand cupped over her face. "Legend said the Fallen Star didn't cause any more trouble before he died. Why... why are you crying? Did he hurt you?"

     Scarlett couldn't say anything. Her throat constricted until she couldn't breathe and all she did was press her head into his chest. More sobs ripped through her.

      Hate him, hate him, hate him!

      Yet, she could not.

      "There was good in him," she whispered, because that was all her voice would allow. "I know there was good in him."

     "Crimson," Julian started, the voice of a parent who was talking to a child in denial. "I know you want to think there's good in everyone, but he was too far gone."

     He held her, but Scarlett did not believe him. Julian was wrong.

     When I pass... this will free the ones I trapped... use it the way I would not have.

      There was good in her father. Scarlett knew it. There was. Even if it was just a little bit.

     Scarlett shook her head. "I'm not- I'm not crazy. He... he was capable of so many good things. Gavriel could have... he could have been great."

      Sobs overtook her again. Scarlett couldn't control her emotions. They were lashing out in side of her. With only a little more time...

     We both know I don't deserve your sorrow...

      Gavriel did. He did deserve her sorrow. There was a primal difference between Gavriel and Marcello. Marcello would have never regretted anything he did, he would always continue to be a monster.

      But Gavriel regretted everything. Scarlett seen it. She seen it. In his emotions, in his eyes. Scarlett was a part of him, he was her father.

     He told her he did not deserve her sorrow, but if Scarlett did not mourn over him, no one else would.

      Julian said nothing, but continued to hold her to keep Scarlett from falling apart. She knew he disagreed with her, but that was okay. He didn't need to agree. Scarlett knew deep in her heart Gavriel was worthy of love and of more time. He was worthy of the second chance he would never get.

     "It's going to be okay." Julian stroked Scarlett's hair, soothing her sobs into choked sniffles. "Let grief run its course, but don't let it consume you. Everything will be just fine. I'm right here, Crimson."

     Scarlett would allow five more tears.

     Five. For Gavriel's life that was taken.

     Four. For all of the lives that he took.

      Three. For the good in him that he barely got to show.

      Two. For her mother, and how Gavriel was his best around her, and how he broke her heart.

      One. For the father she never had. For herself.

       Scarlett took a deep breath, inhaling his scent. Her body reacted immediately, knowing she was safe with the boy who smelled of the salty sea and fresh oak.

      "I'll be okay. We'll be okay," Scarlett murmured, to no one if not to herself.

     "Because we're going through everything together, or not at all, right?" Julian turned her face so that she was looking him in the eyes.

      Her vision was still blurry from tears, but even a blind person would be able to feel the love coming off of Julian. "Right."

      Julian pressed a kiss to her forehead, soft and gentle. A little ray of sunshine in a dark pit of desperation and grief.

      "Let's get that shoulder of yours cleaned up, Crimson darling."

      She almost forgot about the burn.

      Scarlett buried her head into his chest again, until she couldn't remember. She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew Scarlett was tucked into her bed, alone. Julian must have carried her all the way through the palace. How broken she must have seemed to him. Would he still want her, if he really knew how much of a mess her mind was?

       She was still wearing her mother's dress.

      Scarlett changed out of it, into a soft night gown.

     Yes, Julian would. It was the little things that showed how much he loved her. The way he comforted her, though he must have hated her father for what he did. The way he carried her flight upon flight of stairs so she wouldn't wake. How he tucked her in underneath the covers. How he left a glass of water on her bedside along with healing slave for her shoulder.

      Julian was hers through and through, and she was hers. Together, or not at all.

      Scarlett fell back onto her bed. She unfastened the scarlet jewels from her ears, and kissed them both as she stared up at the ceiling. The jewels Gavriel had gifted to Paradise when they were in love. When they were just Gavriel and Paradise, not the Fate and the Thief. When they were her father and mother, not two faded memories.

      "Farewell, mother and father," Scarlett whispered out loud, wondering if their souls could hear her. "Rest easy."

      A/N
Wow that was de-press-innggg. and for all y'all haters who say Scarlett wouldn't have felt this after Gavriel's death, reread his death scene and read how Scarlett starts sobbing and screamed "no!" after Tella stabbed him. Also, ik he was a shitty person but I genuinely believe he could have had a redemption arc with more time. Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed <3