From The Other Side

Chapter Fifteen

(The last chapter was misnamed. This the actual chapter fifteen)

"Raegan. Nice to see you again." Sierra sighed.

"What's wrong, sis? Angry at me for doing what ya wanted? If ya didn't want to find me, ya wouldn'ta try to find me!"

Shit...

Rae looks different than the pictures, or their projection. 

"Too scared to answer, sis?"

"Rae, stop. We agreed on this. No more fighting!" I yelled at her.

"I'll stop if she stops accusing me, Vi. I'm here to give explanations. Not to fight."

"Then why the hell have you hurt all of those people? You've destroyed us. You've destroyed this kingdom. Dad of all people doesn't consider you his daughter."

Rae winced at hearing daughter and winced a second time hearing that the most accepting person in the kingdom wasn't on their side.

I could see a tear run down their face, small but visible.

"What have they told you? That I'm a menace? Because I'm not. I promise."

Sierra sighed. "Raegan. You were exiled on the basis of treason. Whatever your treason may have been, it's still treason. You weaponized your own military. You hurt countless people. You attempted to steal the throne with your attack on their homeland. You are just as much a menace as they say."

Mari and I backed up, leaving the two heated siblings to their own devices.

"Where's your proof?" Raegan smirked through a sigh.

"The red-stained letter Violet got. The letter that you stole our book. The nightmares."

"There is a difference of instance versus proof. That is an instance. Proof would have been seen. You have no way of knowing. They've rammed that into the head of yours. They've turned you against me." They continued, "haven't you ever thought of how the entirety of your mission was to find me? Away from home? Someone is attempting to undermine the very existence of our kingdom, Sierra. You being away was step one. Step two, I can't imagine how bad that'll be."

"I suppose you'd be right. But get one thing right. You betray us, and I will kill you. That is a promise."

"Make it an oath?"

"I swear it on my honor that I will protect this kingdom and its inhabitants." Sierra finished, grabbing one of her ceremonial blades and placing it between them. "Your turn."

"I swear on my life that I will protect this world and its inhabitants, and hereby promise allegiance to Sierra Hunter." Rae sighed, before grabbing the same blade and slicing their palm. Sierra repeated the action, shaking Rae's hand. 

Mari and I gave each other the "did they just do that?" Look.

"We should probably explain a few things, eh Sierra?"

She nodded at Rae. 

"We should."

Mari and I sat together in between them, cross-legged. Sierra started talking first, and I didn't pay attention to most of it besides the explanation that what just went down was known as a blood oath, and was rather common in this territory, and that the blade hadn't actually hurt them.

We had also learned about Sierra's childhood habits, extensive knife collection, and infatuation with "the canines that resides on earth". Puppies. Sierra likes puppies.

Sierra took her turn to explain Rae, to which Rae scowled.

"Sierra. I've got something to get off my chest."

I snickered. They meant literally. Top surgery, amirite? 

"The real reason for my exile, it wasn't treason. It was who I'd acquainted myself with. She was the nicest person within miles of this place. She helped me discover myself a little more. Remember the haircut I got when we were sixteen? That was step one. And that also happened to be the first step to getting me kicked out. This kingdom doesn't accept anyone. And slowly, they all realized something wasn't "right" with me. Sierra. There's no better way to say this than what it is. I'm genderqueer."

"I officially hate our exile system..." Sierra sighed for the eighteenth time. "I, myself, am a lesbian. And Rae. I don't care if your a they. I love you for it. If that's why you got exiled, then we seriously need to reform the system here. But first things first, get rid of whoever is actually trying to hurt you."

Mari and I looked at each other. We all knew Sierra let out chaotic gay vibes. Nobody can rock both armor and a flannel. 

"You have an extra dagger, Sierra? There's something I've been waiting to do since I was fourteen."

Raegan picked the dagger up and sliced right through their hair, red and purple falling to the ground. 

"Anyone ever tell ya you look amazing in a pixie?" Mari spoke up.

"Thanks, hun."

"Quit being flirty, we're getting our asses back home."

Buzz kill. Honestly, Mari would be great with either one of them. Do Marierra and Mariagan work for ship names?

When we hopped in the chariot, Sierra explained the plan. Keep the king back in Rae's place, barricade the castle, maybe get Eddie in on the plan. Eddie would probably like to burn some homophobes.

Maybe add the gnomes it there. They could stab some ankles. Who hurt the gnomes anyways?  I'd place my bets on the higher ups. That whole system was fairly corrupted. Power always corrupts. That's the only thing it does. You can only rule so long before it hurts you. That's why I like the idea of the partner rulership, and a council. It makes it better for all.

Yay for democracy.

"Vi. Snap out of it. We're home."

For the whole ride I hadn't looked out my window, and now, we had parked.

"Operation king for another day is a go?" Mari joked 

I chucked at her name choice and Sierra nodded in approval.
Sierra once again led us up the ever winding staircase. Damn that thing was long.
She approached her father's office, creaking open the door. 
Rae stepped in first. 

"Long time no see. I've got one hell of an explanation, but that can go down in the car. We have more dangerous things to deal with."

"R..Rae?"

Ashley had barely woken up, by the looks of it.

"Yes. It's me. Now get up or I'll do it for you," they said, pulling him over Sierra and their backs. 

I never thought in a million years I'd see Nikki Sixx's replica hoisted over my best friends backs.

"Wh...What.....?"

"Go back to bed. I'll explain when we're safe."

 We loaded his sleeping body in the car, and rose into the sky. 

So long and goodnight, castle.

—————

A/n

Anyone see the Easter eggs in this chapter yet?

(Hint: Helena and one of Ashley Purdy's solo tracks)

Anywho, this was as per the usual written via phone, so excuse my grammatical mistakes.

Any predictions as to who the villain is? Lemme know!