The Fires of Summer (first draft)

The Pirate Lords make a toast to Haley's unborn child when Lukas brings them their rum and their final meals. Haley doesn't move, his head buried in his knees, listening to them quietly celebrating while he shrinks in on himself.

I've been played, he realises, clenching his fists tight. He wants to pretend Corvus is wrong, that he's the guilty one. He can't let the person he loves be the one that took Ellamia. He can't have kissed and held and had sex with the one that took Ellamia. What type of monster does that make him? He's dirtied himself with the hands of a murderer who took the person that had once mattered the most to him, and now here he is about to die without ever having avenged her, not having gotten the chance to get full closure.

Haley doesn't know how to cope with the fact his soulmate killed his wife. He still feels the calling to Axel, that tug deep inside of him craving the changeling's presence and his touch. An angel's mating bond is not permanent but rather indefinite, yet as he sits curled up he knows that his isn't broken, that it could go on for the rest of his life like this, adoring the one that stole his love and then his heart. The tears finally drip from his eyes as he wonders desperately, why didn't it break?

Does his love for Axel run deeper than his hatred for Ellamia's killer? Is there something wrong with him? What if Archangel mating bonds can't be broken? Is he broken? How can he make it stop?

What would Ellamia be doing now, if she lived? She would've searched the whole sea for Haley, and when she fished him out they would've started all over again, with an even stronger hatred for Corvus than before. Maybe they'd have still been on Pirate Island during the attack, and maybe they would've been captured together, rotting in jail together, waiting for their execution together. Maybe they'd spend their last moments together entwined until the guards have to tear them apart. Or perhaps none of that would've happened at all and they'd still be sailing out on the ocean together. Maybe one day they'd have a child of their own and they'd raise them to be a pirate. He wonders if Ellamia would ever want to settle down somewhere, maybe on the coast, and live a peaceful life, away from danger and the Sanguises.

But she's not alive, and they'll never have that.

The Pirate Lords try to offer him some rum but he's in no mood to drink. He hears them whisper about how his meeting with Corvus must have been that bad. He wishes he had it in him to tell them but he can't find the will to speak at all.

Lukas comes with handcuffs to collect the pirates. Haley finally looks up, his face sticky with tears and his eyes dark, and he follows his dads out as their hands are bound with rope by Lukas and they're surrounded by guards. He watches the floor as they walk as it changes from just grey stone to purple carpet. He listens to the sound of the guards' armour moving as they walk, and everyone's footsteps moving out of sync, and he wishes he could mess with his sleeve or do anything at all to soothe himself. Instead, he's left alone with his thoughts, and they swirl and swirl in his head like a whirlpool.

They're brought into the throne room where they have an audience. People are gathered at the sides of the room like they had been when Corvus held his open court, and they all watch the pirates as they're led in and guided to stand before the throne. Corvus is sitting on it and his father is standing at his side, looking down at them all with a look that Haley can't quite work out. The guards push them all to their knees, although Jack goes with some resistance.

Corvus looks at them with his expression relaxed, as though this is barely a bother for him at all. He stands, this time keeping his wings closed as to not block out his father, and he speaks. "I have called you all here to witness the trial of the five Pirate Lords and their son, Captain Undying. These are the most infamous of all the pirates, their ringleaders and those that give them hope and motivate them to fight against the crown. This menace cannot be allowed to continue, and as such I shall sentence them appropriately after hearing their defences and taking them into consideration."

There's a cheer from the crowd, who seem more than excited to be witnessing their sentencing.

"You each stand accused of piracy, treason, murder, theft, and more. What say each of you in your defence?" Corvus asks.

"Let my son go!" Gambi yells immediately, his voice so loud it fills the entire room.

Henry, far more composed, states his argument. "You're no better than us sinners. You've been unlawfully eradicating orcs and making Aldelis a less habitable place for anyone that isn't a human or a high elf. Pirate Island was a safe place for outcasts and orphans. Where are all the children there, Corvus? Have you added their blood to your stained hands, or are you yet to do so? You've established laws against those that love the same sex and you've enabled the discrimination faced by the other races of Aldelis. What say you in your defence?"

Corvus doesn't respond, looking completely unbothered by Henry's argument.

"During your rule you've disturbed the natural order of things," Dixie says, his voice ever-calm, "it's been harder to hunt ever since you've been in control."

"You're not looking so good, Corvus. Where's your father?" Jack laughs. His grin is incapable of leaving his face. Regus looks like he breathes a sigh at his words. "Did daddy let you have a trial all by yourself? You must be a grown up boy."

"Jack, Regus is in the room," Vane says to him.

"Didn't see him," Jack responds.

Vane rolls his eyes, then focuses on the matter at hand. "I find it funny you have all those laws but you had a dinner date with my son, are you this fruity with all of your prisoners?"

"It seems the pirate doesn't know the definition of an interrogation," Corvus says quickly when eyes turn to him. He's eager to change the subject. "Haley, do you have nothing to say?"

Haley's eyes land on the ground and he doesn't move them.

"Very well," Corvus hums. "With this in consideration, how do you plead?"

"Guilty," each Pirate Lord says. Haley reluctantly follows.

"What do my onlookers think?" Corvus lifts his eyes to the crowd, who don't hesitate to mimic their plea in the majority. Haley can't help but think that they've been lied to, that the pirates have never done anything wrong nor threatened them once, that all of this is a result of Corvus and his hatred. He wonders if they'd still feel the same after spending a day on a pirate ship or on Pirate Island.

Corvus looks to his father. Regus has no reaction, simply staring off somewhere behind the Pirate Lords, and so Corvus turns back to the crowd and takes a deep breath. "I sentence you each to death and public execution."

The crowd cheers their approval, yelling about how they're filthy pirates and living scum. Haley doesn't resist when the guards lift him to his feet. The Pirate Lords are parted to make way for Corvus as he strides down and through them towards the exit of the throne room. Haley half expects him to just leave, but instead he draws a circle with his hand and a portal appears before him. He makes another beside it.

Through the first portal Haley can make out a view of Gore and the wooden floor of the podium that sits near the mountain. Gathered before it is a huge crowd. Corvus must have announced the capture and execution of the Pirate Lords the day before. The other portal seems to be placed just beside the crowd and he figures this one must be for the people in the throne room to use so they don't miss the execution.

Corvus beckons to his guards and they escort the group through the portal. It doesn't get any easier the second time, and Haley stumbles, gasping for breath. The air is much fuller down here and it feels like his chest is going to explode. Then he sees everyone staring at him and he feels all of their eyes prickling at his skin like biting insects.

There's two guards already waiting on the podium for them. One of them hands a long sword to Corvus. The blade is beautiful, with light silver metal and peacocks carved into the hilt and their feathers into the blade itself. The Pirate Lords are forced to their knees at the back of the podium, but Haley is led to the front, pushed down for everyone to look at. Corvus stands directly behind him, wings open and his tail feathers spread.

He looks every bit the King he is. He wears a brilliant robe, gold and white at the top, the bottom spreading out with a peacock feather design like his own tail. He wears golden bracers and green jewellery that sits tight to his body, adorning him with gemstones. Haley can't help but feel pathetic.

"You are all gathered here to witness the execution of the greatest pirates known to man," Corvus yells, his hand trembling as he lifts the sword for all to see. The light reflects off the blade elegantly. "I have worked hard to bring them to you and put an end to their long reign. Our seas will be safe once again."

The crowd makes their approval known. Corvus lowers the blade as they cheer. He threads his fingers through Haley's hair, then pulls his head back with a yank that sends pain searing through his scalp. The blade comes to rest against his throat, cold on his skin. Haley closes his eyes.

There's a sound like armour moving and then the blade slips away from his throat, the fingers sliding loose from his hair. The onlookers gasp, and when Haley turns around, he sees a guard standing in front of Corvus, sword drawn.

That's when he realises who he's staring at. He'd recognise that messy white hair and spiked tail anywhere. There's a new addition to Axel's head, two horns that [horn description]. The guard armour looks funny and far too bright on him, yet he carries himself with the same ferocity as he always does, and he stares down his father with a gaze full of loathing.

"Remember me?" Axel asks, his voice breathless.

"How could I forget my greatest mistake?" Corvus laughs, reaching out quick as lightning and grasping Axel's wrist. The sleeve falls back to reveal the cuts, old and new, that line his arm. "You can't even finish yourself off correctly. I can't believe I ever fathered something as worthless as you."

Axel wrenches his arm free and strikes. Corvus meets the blow of the sword with precision and elegance, the metals sliding together.

The guards standing behind them recover from their shock and attempt to intervene, but the Pirate Lords suddenly spring up, free of their rope bindings. They break into combat with the guards, pushing them off the podium and giving Axel room to fight. Haley tests the rope around his arms to find it loose and swiftly he stands, freeing himself and jumping down into the front of the crowd, where he stares up at Corvus and Axel with wide eyes.

"I was just a child," Axel spits. The look on his face is wild, his eyes fierce and his ears pressed to the back of his head. Haley realises that this is the first time he's really seen Axel, the first time he's truly witnessed the apocalypse. "You have no idea of the horrors I have been through. You've sat up here," he deflects a swing, "on your pretty throne, eating from gold fucking platters as I starved and fought and killed!"

Frost sparkles on Corvus' fingers and with a swift motion he casts aside the sword, his spear appearing in his hand. He fights better with it, putting some distance between himself and Axel, jabbing the serrated edge at him. Axel is quick, dodging or deflecting every time the blade reaches for him.

"You're cursed," Corvus hisses, "every day you live brings ruin to Aldelis. You should've finished the job for the sake of us all, and before you could make hellspawn with that Archangel."

"What?" Axel falters for a moment and Corvus slashes his side, tearing a cry from his throat.

"You don't know? Haley is with child," Corvus smirks. Haley's stomach drops.

Axel suddenly gets the upper hand, disarming Corvus and taking his spear. Corvus moves without even thinking, and as he steps into the middle of the podium Axel rushes behind him and thrusts the spear. It pierces through Corvus' chest, the serrated edge hooking itself inside of his body, holding him in place as it hoists him up. Axel stabs the other end into the ground, and from behind his father he produces a gemstone bracelet. He slides it onto Corvus' trembling wrist and steps back.

Corvus' blood glimmers gold in the light as it pools around his chest and drips down his front. He sputters and coughs, his entire body shaking in his pain, his wings drooping heavy at his sides. His golden eyes are half-lidded as he stares at the blade permeating his body.

"This bracelet," Corvus chokes out, his voice hoarse from all of the coughing. "Regus made it to use on you, to finally be rid of you."

"Well the tables have turned. I know your secret," Axel murmurs, just loud enough that Haley can hear from the front of the crowd. "The only way me and you can die is by our own hand. Are you afraid to die, Corvus?"

The King doesn't respond, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I want you to show all of these people what you're really made of," Axel says. "Tear yourself apart."

Corvus' hand moves slowly, stopping and starting as though he's trying to resist the command. The bracelet emanates a small glow as it controls him, forcing him onwards. At first he fumbles at his clothes with his long nails, and then they start to tear and he claws at the skin of his chest. It's slow, the way he cuts into himself, starting with his chest. Blood oozes out, caking his hands as he opens a wound that keeps getting deeper and deeper, the layers of his flesh on show for all to see. The crowd start screaming, some running and others standing in shock, watching their King die. When he moves his hands his white bone is showing beneath the flesh he's ripped apart. Next he tears the hole open lower and lower until his intestines bulge from his stomach, spilling over the edge and hanging from him, dripping red-gold liquid all over the wood and spraying it across the front of the crowd. Haley feels it splatter against his face but he doesn't move or scream or breathe at all, watching as the life fades from Corvus' eyes and he goes limp, everything that makes him up on display.

There's a manic look in Axel's eye as he steps forward and jumps off the podium to meet Haley. He looks at what he's done, then grabs his hand and drags him out of the crowd, and then he begins to run for the shore.