The Broken Flame

The evening had come some time later. Steve had awoken for a bit to eat and have his bandages replaced, then fallen back asleep. Celina now sat in one of the nearby chairs, peeling the pink bandages on her own skin from her body and examining her wounds. They weren’t very deep, luckily, but there were a lot of them. Celina sighed as she peeled away another bandage. “Well, at least these aren’t too bad. Another few days or so with a potion and they should be good.” She looked down at the last of her wounds, still covered. “Alright, now I just need to get this off and--”

The queen tried to pull the wool off, only for a shooting pain to run up her arm. “OW! SON OF A GLITCH!” She recoiled and looked down at her arm. “That hurts way too much to try and get on my own.”

At the same time she said this, Herobrine’s closed eyes opened. He had actually been resting, though he wouldn’t dare admit that to anyone. Especially not to the human girl. However, a shout had awoken him. He blinked a few times, his white eyes still adjusting.

Celina thought for a moment about how to get the bandage off, when a small movement caught her eye. Herobrine seemed to be moving about as he stretched his legs out and rolled his neck. Was he sleeping? The queen was curious about that, but decided not to ask. She watched him for a few seconds. “Hey, Herobrine,” she cautiously called out.

The Demi-God frowned as the human queen’s voice reached his ears. What did she want this time? He turned his head and looked at her, seeing a pained look on her features. Herobrine stood and walked over to her. “What do you want, mor--Celina?”

Celina shifted in her seat, looking into those glowing eyes. “I was taking off my bandages, but this wound right here is really sensitive. I can’t get it off myself. Can you… get it off for me? Please?”

Herobrine thought this was a little silly. It was something she could obviously do herself, but she was asking for his help, and that was surprising. He rolled his white eyes and took a hold of the bandage.

Celina looked away. “Okay, give me a second to--”

Before she could say anything else, Herobrine ripped it off her arm. 

“OOOOOWW!” the queen shouted and whipped her head around to look at the Nether Prince. “Geez, you couldn’t have given me a heads-up first?!”

“I pulled off your bandage, didn’t I,” he answered her. 

She looked to see the pink cloth in his hand and she lost her angered expression. “Well, yeah, you did do that.”

“Then stop complaining!” Herobrine said with annoyance. He turned away, looking at the woolen wrapping in his hand. “For Aether’s sake, you usually don’t complain this much, Cebrina.”

“Well I--” That was when Celina noticed something. “Wait… who’s Cebrina?”

Herobrine’s angered expression immediately fell to horror. His blood seemed to run cold as he stood, frozen in that place. He let the pink wool fall from his hand as his heart began to beat wildly in his chest cavity.

There was complete silence between the two, and Celina felt a sudden powerful energy in the air.

“What did you just say?”

The being said this slowly, with venom in his voice, his expression beginning to shift to one of rage.

Celina didn’t seem to notice this though. “You just called me… Cebrina. I don’t know if you just mispronounced my name, or if you just--”

A hand was suddenly around her neck within a second, and Celina gasped for air as her oxygen was being cut off. She lightly kicked her legs as she was lifted a few inches above the ground. She clawed at the hand now around her throat, opening her eyes to see Herobrine with fury on his face. White smoke was now drifting from the brightly glowing orbs in his head. 

“DON’T YOU EVER SAY THAT NAME AGAIN, MORTAL!” he shouted at her, making her struggle more. “IF YOU EVER SAY THAT NAME AGAIN, I’LL RIP YOU APART! DO YOU HEAR ME?!”

Celina whimpered and tried to speak with a ragged voice. “Okay! I’m--I’m sorry! I--I didn’t know!”

Herobrine gave her one last glare, before dropping the queen, making her stumble back while coughing. He turned away and kept his back to her, his clenched fists shaking.

Celina coughed hard. Damn, he really held tight onto her. She put a hand to her throat. That might just bruise later.

“Celina! Are you okay?!”

The human girl turned on her heels in surprise, seeing that Steve was awake and looking up at her with great worry. “Steve?”

The miner frowned with his brows furrowed. He had been fast asleep when Celina’s loud coughing caused his sleep to fade, and all he had seen was Herobrine glaring at his friend with her hacking away for breath. He looked up at her. “Celina, what happened? Did he hurt you?”

“Steve, it’s okay, don’t get too worked up,” Celina responded with her hands up. She then turned her head away and put a hand to her throat. “He… grabbed me by the neck again.”

Steve gasped, before closing his eyes, furrowing his brows, and gritting his teeth. He let out a growl of frustration and shook his head. 

Celina pursed her lips. “Steve, what’s wrong?”

“He keeps hurting you, Celina!” Steve shouted in response. “He’s grabbed you by the neck, he nearly beat you to death, and he keeps threatening you! I can’t just sit here and let him hurt you! He’s going to kill you and it’ll be all my fault!” Steve’s eyes began to water and tears rolled down his face when he blinked. “You tried to defend me and--and all he’s done here is… tried to--to kill you! If I hadn’t gotten...gotten beat to near death… I--I wouldn’t… you… I just…” He tried to stand from his place and cried out, falling back to sit on the bed with his legs hanging off the side. Steve was now hiccupping and crying hard, his eyes shut as his body shook. 

Celina found herself putting hands on his shoulders as Steve tried to stop crying. He wasn’t just physically hurting, and she could tell. She leaned down and gently embraced the miner. He stiffened at first, not expecting her hug, but slowly relaxed into her touch.

Celina began to speak to him and she pulled back, resting her hands on his shoulders again. “Steve, I want you to listen to me, okay?”

Steve sniffled a bit, but nodded.

“Listen, Stevie. I know I got hurt defending you from him. But in no way is this your fault. It was my choice to fight him, my choice to defend you. I did it because I care about you. I did it because I wasn’t going to let him hurt you or try to take your soul. I love you, man.” She smiled softly. “Besides, Herobrine was the one who tried to kill you. He pretty much put himself in this situation. He made his own bed, now he has to lie in it. He did this to you, so he has to pay for what he did.”

She chuckled softly. “All the things he’s doing; it’s just something I’ll have to deal with to get him to help you. He’s obviously got something going on, but I’m not gonna push him to tell me. I know you might feel like you caused this. But trust me when I say: it’s not your fault at all.” Celina gently patted Steve’s shoulders. “I’ll be fine, Steve. I made a choice, and so did he, and me and him have to understand the consequences of our actions. I don’t think he quite gets it yet, but… I’m going to try to have him understand. Just remember, I’ll be fine. I won’t just let him push me around.”

Steve nodded after a moment, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He tried to smile and managed to do so as the queen kissed his forehead again. “Thank you, Celina. That definitely puts me a little more at ease.” 

Celina giggled. “I’m glad. Now that that’s out of the way… oh! Do you want me to help you with your hair? It’s pretty messy.”

Steve blinked, before closing his eyes and dawning a sly grin. “Well, my queen, do you think you’re worthy enough to handle the pristine locks of Steven Alfonce Mindrall?”

Celina smiles cheekily. “Oh, I’m sure I’m more than fit to handle them.

“Hmm. I don’t know…” Steve said as he looked up at her.

“Oh, c’mere and let me do your hair, you dork!” Celina responded, ruffling his hair. The two of them laughed, with Herobrine only watching from his place. They didn’t even see him turn away as a few cyan droplets fell down his face, before he wiped them away.

*****

As the sun began to set and the evening took the skies, the kingdom was quiet with people retreating to their homes for the night. The mobs would be out soon, but with all the light in the village outside the castle walls, everything should be at peace. 

Steve handed the dish he had used for dinner back to Celina. “Thank you for dinner, Celina, it was really good.”

“It’s no trouble, Stevie.” She took the plate and stowed it in her inventory. She then looked to the miner as he shifted in his spot. “It’s starting to get kinda late. Are you okay with going to sleep now, Steve?”

“Yeah, I’m fine with that. I need all the rest I can get for these wounds anyways.” He chuckled and let his friend take his hand and kiss it. He then laid down and Celina helped pull the blankets up to his chin.

“Sleep well, Steve,” Celina told him.

“Thank you, Celina.” And with that, Steve closed his eyes. He was out within a few minutes. Celina smiled at him, but then turned on her heels to look at Herobrine. He was sitting at the dining table she had in the throne room, with a plate still in front of him. She walked a little closer to see that the Demi-God hadn’t even touched his food. “Herobrine,” she asked.

The Nether Prince lifted his head from looking at the steak and carrots that had been placed in front of him. “What?”

“Did you eat at all?”

He sighed heavily. “I already told you, Celina: I don’t need to eat. I’m not hungry either.”

“Herobrine, are you sure? I thought I heard your stomach growling earlier.”

He silently swore. So she did hear his stomach when she had started making dinner. However, he didn’t want the girl to think she was right about anything. He folded his arms. “I’m… not… hungry.”

Celina lightly shook her head. “Herobrine, I know you’re trying not to show any weakness. I know you’ve been doing that every time we talk. But, even though you don’t need to eat, I think you should at least try it. Besides, even if you don’t need to, it might feel nice. Can you at least try the steak I made you?”

Herobrine didn’t say a word at first. But then he sighed, took the knife and fork he had been given, and cut off a piece of the steak. He looked it over before putting it into his mouth. His expression shifted and his posture changed just a bit. 

Celina noticed this. “Is it okay?”

Herobrine turned to look at her, before looking away. “...Don’t think this means anything, Celina.” 

The queen chuckled a bit. Seems like his ego was still there. She looked at the sky outside, seeing small spots of white littering the veil of dark blue. “Hmm… it’s getting late, I should probably head to bed.” She turned to head to her bedroom, then turned her head to look back at Herobrine. “Hey, Herobrine?”

The being turned his head to look over at her.

“Thank you… for helping me. You did a pretty good job today.”

He tensed, but said nothing.

“Well, good night, Brine. Get some rest, okay?”

“...Whatever.”

“Okay, good night.”

And with that, Celina slipped out the door to make her way to her bedroom.

As soon as he was alone, Herobrine looked down at the steak again. It was actually really good. He really didn’t want to admit it to her though, but it was… nice. He sighed in frustration, holding his head in one hand as he leaned his elbow on the table. “Why is she being so friendly to me?” He rubbed his head, a small headache was beginning to form with his clashing thoughts. “All I’ve tried to do is kill her, from the moment I got here. And yet… she still made me food, showed me into her garden, and trusts me with the miner?” Herobrine shook his head again. “Why? Why would she show her enemy such kindness when I’ve made myself an adversary to her? I don’t… I don’t understand.”

The Lord of the Mobs leaned back a bit. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand this human. But… the sooner I comply with her, the sooner I can leave.” He then looked down at his meal… before taking the fork and knife into his hands again.