The Broken Flame

The sun rose the next morning, painting the skies in light blues, oranges, and yellows. The yellow orb slowly ascended from its place below the hills to the east. A few clouds moved on a very faint breeze as early light bathed the kingdom. 

Celina’s eyes fluttered open as the rays of the sun came through the red and yellow stained glass window and ran across her face. She let a small smile grace her lips. Another early morning and another day in the Creaturae server. She sighed a bit in relief when she realized she was still alive. Alive and breathing. 

The queen sat up in her bed, the sleeves of her purple nightgown flowing down her arms. She looked through her window in front of her, seeing the sun’s rays streaming through as it rose. Celina chuckled. “A lovely morning.” She stretched her arms above her head as she yawned. 

The fact that she hadn’t been killed in her sleep struck her as she moved to stand from her bed. “Hmm… I wonder if Herobrine stayed here last night. He said he would, but… this is a white-eyed killer I’m trusting here. A man more powerful than any human or mob in the Overworld.” She chuckled lightly. “The fact that he left me alone to sleep seems like a good sign.” She looked to the floor, where under her was the grand room. That was where she had left Herobrine before heading to her room.

Celina’s smile turned more passive. “I’ll get dressed and see if he’s awake. Then we’ll go take care of Steve.” She smiled once more. “Time for a new day.”

*****

Celina made her way down the stairs from her room into the grand room, her steps quiet. She usually didn’t make much noise when walking anyway, with her small stature. 

The queen looked out one of the windows when she reached the floor, seeing the sun still steadily rising. She put a hand to one hip. “Well, it looks like it’s gonna be a beautiful day.”

A small shifting noise had her eyes landing on the shape of a man sitting on the bed she had set up last night. Herobrine seemed to be sitting on the bed sheets, head bowed and hands on his lap. He looked almost like he was… sad? Or perhaps deep in thought? Celina couldn’t tell.

The girl frowned and furrowed her brows. He looked to be okay, but maybe he was troubled by something. “Herobrine,” she called out. 

No response.

Celina put a hand on her chin in worry. Maybe Herobrine had left the castle and injured himself? Or maybe he was thinking about something? She couldn’t tell just from looking at him, but she needed him to be awake and follow her to the throne room to take care of Steve. She had an idea of what to do since he didn’t respond. But it might just get her in trouble.

The queen slowly took steps towards Herobrine, her heart beginning to thud in her ribcage. She really shouldn’t be doing this, this man had tried to kill her only last night. And yet, Celina’s sense of morals told her that she needed to make sure he was okay.

She reached within a foot of Herobrine. She could see his back rising and falling with his slow breathing. Was he asleep? It sure seemed like it. But, maybe he didn’t need to sleep considering he was human? But it seemed like he was sleeping.

She had to make sure.

Celina slowly, with a shaking arm, reached out to Herobrine, placing a hand on his arm. “Herobrine?”

It happened too fast for her to process. A death grip was suddenly around her wrist as Herobrine reached back and took a hold of her arm. She cried out in surprise and pain as an instant agony filled her arm. “Let go, let go, let go!” she shouted in panic.

Herobrine’s posture straightened up from his slumped position and he gritted his teeth. This little girl… this human… had the gall to touch him again after besting his in battle? After the humiliation she had put his through, she had the nerve to do that?

Celina pulled and struggled to get out of the grip on her arm but failed like a caged animal. She was really in trouble now.

Herobrine narrowed his eyes. “After defeating me in battle… you have the audacity…” He turned to look over his shoulder at the queen, making her flinch in fright. “...to lay your filthy little hand on me again?”

“I--I’m sorry!” she shouted. Celina really had to make him see she was only concerned for him, or she just might lose her hand. “I--I was just… just making--sure--you were okay! I saw you slumped over and thought you were asleep or unwell!”

Herobrine squinted, knitting his brows. “Why would you be concerned about me, whelp? I tried to kill you, and yet you show worry for me?”

“I’m--sorry, but you looked like something was wrong.” She tried to wipe the fearful tears now forming in her eyes. “I just… it’s in my blood to help others who need it. I was just… I wanted to make sure--you were okay.” She whimpered as she struggled again to get out of his grip.

Herobrine looked over her form and face. She wasn’t… lying? She didn’t show any kind of deceit with her tone or posture. But, no human would ever show any kind of concern for him. That was preposterous, especially considering she nearly died by his hand. However, there was no trickery in her voice, nor lying in her stance. 

Herobrine finally let her hand go, and the queen pulled it back, holding her wrist with her other hand. She whimpered a bit. That was definitely going to bruise later. 

“Let this be a lesson to you, mortal,” the Nether Prince said as he stood from the bed and turned on his heels. “Do not ever, ever touch me.”

Celina looked up at his words, but frowned at him calling her, “mortal” again. She didn’t care how powerful this guy was, he could at least call her something not so degrading. “My name is Celina,” she spoke to him with slight annoyance, her mouth moving before her mind could stop it. “Not mortal, whelp, human, or girl! Celina!”

“Like I care what your name is,” he answered with folded arms. “I’ll call you whatever I please.”

Celina rolled her eyes and sighed. Seems like she was just going to have to deal with this guy’s ego for a while. He seemed to have a large sense of pride and feeling of being so much better than humans. Shaking that off, the queen spoke to him again. “Well, that aside. I need you to follow me back to the throne room.”

Herobrine quirked a brow. “Why?”

“Well, we’re going back in there to take care of Steve. You made a deal, so that deal starts now.” She gestured for the being to follow her. “Now, come along.”

Herobrine huffed. “Fine.” He began to walk in step with the human, staying a few feet behind her so as not to get too close. 

As the two walked across the room, Celina looked over her shoulder at the man. “Out of curiosity… were you asleep?”

“That’s none of your business, girl.”

“Okay, okay, sorry. I was just wondering.” She looked ahead as the being followed her, heading for the door to one of the bridges. “This is gonna be a long few months.”

*****

One of the doors to the throne room slowly creaked open, being moved slowly so as not to disturb the sleeping miner. Celina stepped inside and moved so Herobrine could do the same, before closing the wooden door behind them. They shared a glance before a noise caught their attention.

There on the bed near the thrones lay Steve, lying on his side with a soft look on his features. He seemed so content, so at peace, and the slow movement of his chest indicated that he was breathing well, despite the injuries he sustained only last night. That was definitely a good sign.

Herobrine scowled a bit as he looked at Steve. The man shouldn’t have survived his wrath, the man before him should be dead by now. And yet, here he was, having been saved by the one who he was now bound to. He hated this situation, hated seeing the peace on the miner’s face.

The Lord of the Mobs’ thoughts were broken when the human spoke, a soft smile on her face.

“Aww, he looks so peaceful.”

“Oh, please, girl, he looks pathetic.”

Celina snapped her head to look up at Herobrine, shooting him a dark glare, before shrugging it off. It’s not like she could change his opinion on humans. He hated them for reasons unknown to anyone but him. And it was unlikely he’d tell her.

Celina ignored that thought with a small smile forming. She then moved to the bed. Time to wake up Steve.

*****

“Steve? Steve, can you hear me? Stevie?”

Steve made a small noise in his sleep as the black began to disappear again, pain flooding his form again. Albeit, the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as it was last night. It actually has lightened up quite a bit. The miner realized as he came into the world of the waking that he was lying on his side, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Sunlight filtered through the windows of the room in the castle where he was, the warmth of some landing on his form and warming him up. It was early in the morning from what he could tell. And as his eyes focused, Steve could see a form standing beside his bed. 

The form was short, but he recognized the colors of her clothes, tan skin, gray eyes, and black hair. She had the most gentle and sweet expression on her face. Steve smiled ever so softly. “Good morning, Your Majesty,” he spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.

Celina giggled. Seeing her friend looking so peaceful and relaxed was such a nice sight after hearing his pain last night. He looked a lot better from the night. She clasped her hands. “Good morning, Steve,” she responded. “How are you feeling, my friend?”

Steve turned to lie partially on his side, partially on his back, so he could better look at the queen. “I’m still hurting, but not nearly as bad as last night. I’m still pretty sore. But I don’t feel like I did before. I think your potions helped a lot with that.” He chuckled softly. “Celina, I need to thank you again. I don’t think I would have made it out alive last night if it hadn’t been for your help. You saved my life, and I’ll be forever grateful for it. You’ve got a good heart and warrior strength, and I owe my life to you.”

Celina smiled a little wider, a soft blush crossing her face. “Steve, you’re like a brother to me. I care about you dearly and I don’t know what I’d do without you. You mean everything to me, and I’d do anything for you. I love you and I’ll always be there for you. Never forget that.”

Steve grinned. This girl was a ray of sunshine, someone whose kindness was undeserved by the cruelty of this world.

As he looked at Celina, Steve noticed something and his smile fell. “Hey, out of curiosity,” he started. “What… did you do with my shirt last night?”

Celina blinked. “Oh, I have it right here in my inventory.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the miner’s cyan long sleeve, looking brand new, as if it hadn’t been torn and covered in blood just last night. “I took some time to wash it and sew it up last night while I was waiting for you to wake up.” She tilted her head. “Can… you sit up?”

Steve nodded. “I think so.” He turned to lie on his back, then tried to push himself up. That was when a sharp agony ran through his arms and chest and he cried out. “AHHHH!”

Celina rushed to the miner’s side and put an arm behind him, being mindful of touching the wounds on his back. She heard him hiss in pain and she moved the pillows behind him. “Easy, Steve. Here, let me help you.”

Steve nodded again and the queen helped him to sit up. He was still very shaky, but it seems like he just exerted his body too much at once. Celina helped him slip his shirt over his head and onto his arms, and Steve was once again dressed in his signature shirt. He sighed softly. “There we go, that’s better.”

Celina nodded. “How does it feel?”

“Good, really good. Your stitch work is really nice, Celina.” 

“Why, thank you, Steve.”

The miner smiled sleepily at her. However, a sudden shifting noise caught his attention. He moved his head to look a little bit further to his left, and that was when his heart dropped. A man almost identical to him was standing there, wearing the same shirt, belt, jeans, and boots. He even had the same skin tone and hair color, but he was missing freckles, his hair flowed down over his shoulders, and those eyes. Those glowing blank eyes. They seemed to be glaring down at him, as if trying to take his soul. Steve’s mouth fell open and his violet eyes went wide.

Celina noticed the sudden fear that had stricken the miner and she furrowed her brows. “Steve?” She then noticed where his gaze was and her heart leapt into her throat. “Oh, shoot.”

She didn’t even think about what would happen if Steve saw Herobrine.