yes, I write to this playlist.
yes, it scares me a lil' bit.

and yes, I wanted to share for fun :)

Y/N

_

I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD AT FIRST.

After pushing open the red door, I didn't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't seeing another giant cell with a boy sprawled out unconsciously in the center of the floor. I nearly yelled out in panic—but I couldn't risk attracting any more guards.

But that's why I thought he was dead.

Lying there, cold, clothes fraying, eyes shut tight, and body motionless. For a moment I thought I had lost him, and it nearly broke me. No, not nearly. It did. I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces as I held my breath, praying that whatever I saw was just an illusion.

And miraculously it was.

Louis' body twitched slightly, his brows furrowing as he began to twist around on the floor. He was sleeping. I didn't know for how long, but it was clear he was having a nightmare by the way he started to thrash and sweat.

Letting the door shut behind me, I rushed over to the cell, slipping my arm through the cell and grabbing his hand.

"Louis," I said, my breath heavy, "Louis, you have to wake up."

He couldn't hear me, but began to mumble phrases out of gritted teeth and short exhales. 'Please don't' he mumbled, followed by another twist, and 'please don't go'. I squeezed his hand tighter, tugging lightly on his arm in worry.

"Come on, you have to wake up..." I urged, "can you hear me?"

After another firm tug, Louis' eyes fluttered open, drooping slightly out of exhaustion, until he was staring at me with a half-lidded gaze.

He gripped my hand tighter, still drowsy, "[y/n]...?"

"It's me, Louis, it's me."

"You're back..."

"I'm back."

I couldn't help but smile as he slowly sat up, a wistful gaze seeping onto his face as he realized he wasn't dreaming. Both of us stared at each other momentarily, basking in the feeling of being reunited, before he lunged himself against the bars to pull me closer.

"Darling," he says, "you're here? How did you get-"

"Louis, now's not the time," I sighed, cutting him off, "we have to get you out of here."

He didn't listen, continuing to ramble as he stared at me through the metal barrier between us. I wished so badly to talk to him, to tell him the truth, and ask him what happened while I was gone, but now wasn't the time. A guard could notice the rest had escaped, and time was of the essence.

"Listen," Louis was still saying, "I've been thinking, and I need to tell you—"

"Save it," I said.

Letting go of his hand, I stood back onto my feet, grabbing my dagger and pressing the blade flatly into the palm of my hand. The lock on his cell was keyed, probably for the same reason they separated him from the rest, so I couldn't just twist it to unlock it.

Pressing the sole of my boot against the door, I raised my arms, bringing the dagger down onto the chain of the lock and watching as it split in half and fell to the floor with a clatter.

Louis' mouth was hanging open.

"Well, then," I grinned, slipping the knife into my belt, "you were saying?"

✯

"Let's talk."

After breaking Louis out of his cell, I managed to lead him back outside, where Alice and the others were waiting with a spare horse. I won't be kind and give the details, but I'll just say it was really awkward. Once the whole 'you saved our lives' spiel was up, the knowledge that nothing was ever really fixed between all of us settled in.

I was still disgruntled over the fact that they kicked me out, and they were still under the impression that I lied to them for a long time. But, nevertheless, we managed to make it back to the Merrywood Hills safely—where we were now sitting in the grass, eager for explanations.

"So," I exhaled, pacing around the grass, "I know you guys are wondering why I came back."

There was a gaggle of nods after that, and I waited till all attention was back on me before I spoke again. They were all circled around me like the day I was exposed, and it was a pretty eerie comparison.

"The truth is, I did lie," I explained, "at that time, I knew that I wasn't the girl who was supposed to slay the Jabberwocky. I know what I did was wrong, and I regret it completely."

I glanced at Louis, who had his knees pressed against his chest as he stared at me, his eyes glazed over with focus. I gave him a soft smile before continuing.

"And while I apologize for lying, it's important that I tell you that it really wasn't a lie at all," I said, turning to Alice. She was standing beside me, and her eyes lit up at my address, happily plopping the book into my hands with a grin. I flipped it open, "the prophecy we all know, wasn't just one. It was two."

Beginning to pass it around, I let the surprised gasps sink in with satisfaction. The truth was out. I just hoped they'd forgive me for it—especially Louis.

So, I stood there nervously, waiting as they all passed it around, gave it a good look, and then began to discuss. They didn't need to apologize to me, because they had good reason to throw me out. I lied. I put them in danger. No one knew the real truth, so I couldn't blame them for it.

But Louis looked crushed.

As he flipped through the pages, he kept biting his lip nervously, even as the others rejoiced and pulled me in for hugs. At one point we made eye contact, but then he was back to looking at the book. Old me would have just let him keep his distance, but New me was tired of the separation. I wanted to talk to him again—to be with him again.

"Louis?" I said, singling him out, "what's wrong?"

Everyone stopped talking to look at him, silence sweeping over the area. It was already becoming dark in the forest, and a cold chill was creeping through the trees, causing me to shiver.

Louis held up the book, his cheeks flushed anxiously. "Which is it?"

I furrowed my brow, "what do you mean?"

"Which prophecy?" He explained, "we know there's two girls, but how do we know who's which?"

I glanced at Alice, who looked just as confused as I was. He had a point. One of the girls was prophesied to kill the Jabberwocky, and the other was prophesied to seize control over the Crown of Hearts. Or in other words...

"One of you could die," Louis mumbled, "whoever has to face the Jabberwocky has it the hardest, and I don't think I could take it if..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but we all knew what he was trying to say. 'If something went wrong' was what he might have said. I didn't have an answer for him, or for any of them, because I didn't know who was supposed to do which. If Alice had to face the Jabberwocky, she could die. If I did, so could I.

It was like asking: me or her?

"What if we just don't fight it at all?" Alice suggested weakly, her hands clasped behind her back, "then no one would get hurt."

Harry, who was beginning to light his pipe, sighed. "One of you must fight it."

"Why?"

"The Jabberwocky is the only thing keeping the Queen in power. You kill the beast, she's left defenseless."

The silence was painful again.

"We have time to still train," I said, ignoring the sweating of my palms, "if we put all of our focus and energy into preparing to fight, then chances of injury can shorten—"

I was cut off by a loud roar, ripping through the forest like the slash of a knife. The ground began to quake, and we all nearly lost our footing, turning to look at the castle's view a few miles away. Smoke was beginning to circle around the red towers, a fiery, auburn glow beating from inside the dark clouds, and the silhouette of a dark creature began to emerge from the depths within.

I felt my heart drop.

"Is that it?" I mumbled in fear.

They didn't need to answer that. Gripping my dagger, I felt myself hesitate. I didn't want to be the one to kill it, but I couldn't throw Alice into it. She didn't have the training, and she wasn't the one who had deceit written all over her track record.

But we were running out of time.

Or I was.