Death scenes are fun.

So here's another one-

Based on a conversation between JaxTheShade and I. Again. He really does love his death scenes-

So an Oralie death scene happened. And yeah, as always, lots of trigger warnings-

TW: bl//d, d//th, st/bbing, sw/rds, wo/nds, gr/ef, kn/ves, um... idk what else but there may be more? Tell me if I need to add more-

Here we go. I wish I could say I was sorry but really, I'm not since I love writing death scenes-

Whirl, slice, dodge, lunge.

Sophie's body moved in a well-rehearsed dance, her long months of training paying off as she threw her throwing star.

It landed in her enemy's stomach with a shink! Sophie pushed away the sickening guilt in her stomach.

Whoever the elf she'd just killed or injured had been, they were the enemy, she reminded herself. They had no morals. They would have done the same to her.

(they were probably thinking the same way, she tried not to remember. the same flawed reasoning was probably flowing through their heads)

So she threw another star, and another, trying to block out the shouts and screams of pain and horror around her. Her world blurred as she spun again, slicing and stabbing.

Leap, duck, twirl, slash.

She fell into a rhythm, her eyes skating over her surroundings. Her limbs were leaden and her breath tight in her lungs, but she would not stop.

Could not stop.

All the battles, skirmishes, failed plans, raids, they'd all led to this. This moment.

This battle to end them all. 

(but there were casualties on both sides, and neither was letting up and maybe it wasn't the end after all-)

Sophie raised her arm to throw another knife, her muscles aching with exhaustion.

But before she could, an ogre appeared a few feet away, already grinning as it drove its barbed sword towards her, ready to implant itself in her stomach.

(they say life flashes before your eyes as you're about to die, but all Sophie saw was terror and pain and the smirking face of the ogre, licking its almost bloody-looking lips)

She tried to scream, only a vague (cowardly) whimper escaping her throat as she awaited her death.

But it never arrived.

...

Oralie shuddered.

Empaths broke easily, and the blood surrounding her was almost too much for her to handle. 

Even though she hadn't killed or injured anyone herself, wasn't even participating in the battle. 

But she had seen the wounds of the fallen who were brought into Elwin and Livvy's tent, and now she was seeing where the injuries came from. All the swords and throwing stars and even explosives.

The coppery scent of blood hung in the air around her.

Oralie winced, already feeling her mind weaken before she forced it to strengthen. She couldn't break now.

She pushed her way forward, allowing herself to sense the emotions of those around and dodge, duck, dip, dive under the blades and skirt around the blood of those she sensed.

And then she saw her.

A burst of emotion, a glimmer of blonde hair (so familiar; Oralie found it every time she looked in the mirror), a flash of brown eyes. Lifting up her arm to throw another knife.

Oralie picked her way forward, her heart beating in her chest. So close-

A wave of terror soared toward her, and Oralie's eyes widened as she saw the ogre lift the sword, ready to plunge it into Sophie's chest.

Her daughter.

There was no time. Oralie didn't know how to fight- she couldn't throw a knife or throwing star, and her nerves were too shredded to try telekinesis.

So she protected her daughter the only way she knew how.

(a life for a life, Oralie thought, a give and take)

One leap.

One jump, one desperate scramble to throw her body in between the sharp blade and Sophie.

One moment. When everything slowed.

One moment. When time stopped and Sophie stumbled back and she was safe and Oralie's body hit the ground as a throwing star thunked into the ogre's head.

One moment, Oralie told herself desperately. 

(but she had no time she was running out she needed more time to say what she needed to say-)

One moment more.

...

"Sophie!"

She didn't process the word, the voice calling her name, her eyes focused on the body in front of her.

"Sophie," the voice repeated, tone filled with horror. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she recognized the voice. But she didn't dare look up.

(maybe if she didn't look away, Oralie wouldn't die. maybe her eyes alone could keep her mother in the world of the living)

An arm came around her shoulders, and Sophie came back into her body as she realized Fitz was there. She vaguely recognized Grizel and Sandor nearby, defending them as they kneeled over Oralie's bloodied body.

The body.

A finger twitched, and Sophie almost collapsed right then and there.

(there was still hope, perhaps)

"Oralie?" Sophie asked over the continuing sounds of battle. "Are you..."

"Sophie." The life was draining out of Oralie quickly, Sophie saw. Refused to acknowledge. As quickly as the blood spilling out of her.

Her voice was a rasp as she murmured, "I'm so proud of you. Of everything you've become."

"No... don't say goodbye. Not yet," Sophie half-sobbed, hands hovering helplessly over the wound in her mother's stomach. She didn't know how to stop major wounds like this. If only the Black Swan had given her a healing ability instead of pain. "You're not dying."

"I'm glad I got this time with you. I'm glad you made it so far. I'm glad it wasn't all for nothing," Oralie whispered, blood burbling to her lips as she coughed, pain present on her face.

Fitz shifted in confusion but kept his arms around Sophie, resting his cheek on her head as she trembled.

"Please... I thought we would have more time," Sophie broke, over and over again. Waves crashing against the shore as Oralie spoke again.

"So did I." The three words stabbed Sophie clean through the heart, and tears streamed down her face.

Oralie smiled at her, her blue eyes already dimming. "I'm sorry for everything I kept from you. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Sophie breathed. "I- I forgive you. For everything."

A few tears trickled down Oralie's cheeks. "I love you, Sophie. My daughter."

Fitz stiffened, his head lifting from hers. But his arms stayed around her, and Sophie kept her eyes on Oralie.

Her mother's breaths were slowing.

"I love you too, Mom," Sophie whispered, her body going numb. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut in an effort to block the tears from spilling over, and she almost missed Oralie's next words.

"Kenric. I'll be seeing you again at last..." her mother's voice trailed off into silence, and Sophie realized that even though her world had stopped, the battle was still going on behind her, Sandor and Grizel pushing off the enemy to allow them this moment.

But the world must have ended, because Councillor Oralie (her mother) was dead.

Life couldn't still be going on. The battle should have ended once Oralie had stopped breathing.

Ended, once that sword sliced into her stomach.

Once Oralie sacrificed herself for Sophie.

Sophie forced herself to breathe (but Oralie never would again-) as Fitz's arms tightened around her, allowing her to bury her face in his shoulder and cry.

(Oralie would never cry again. she would never give her a hug or smile or breathe or laugh or-)

"I forgave her," Sophie repeated to herself. "I forgave her." (she had. a long time ago, really. before the battle, before her life had turned to a leaf in the wind, twisting and twirling erratically)

"She is- was- your... biological mom?" Fitz's voice sounded gravely from crying. He didn't sound mad. More... saddened.

Shocked.

"Yes," Sophie whispered. "I... loved her. I didn't know it. But I did."

Fitz's hands moved in soothing circles up and down her back, and he buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry."

And Sophie broke down entirely.

...

"Hello, Kenric," Oralie breathed, almost surprised to find that she could. "It's good to see you again."

His familiar red hair bobbed as he nodded, a familiar smirk gracing his lips. "Good to see you, too."

Aaaaand... I ended it there-

Because I'm evil like that

Also because I promised to go to bed at midnight and it's now past 1 am

So yeah that was... that...

Honestly Oralie is so awesome and she doesn't deserve the hate from Sophie or anyone else-

And had to add that bit of ~Fitz redemption~ of a sort, if you count it as that.

Um the Koralie bit, you can take that platonically if you want. I don't really ship it but go crazy if you do-

Is it wrong that death scenes are some of my favorite things to write? Oh well-