Into the Fire

As you slam shut the door behind you stepping inside Karisi's room she immediately lets you have it. "Darien, you have thirty fucking seconds and this better be some damn world ending issue you have."

"So what?! Hawk?! You're friends with him now?" your arms are flying around your body "What the hell, Karisi? You know he shot me right?! Almost killed me yeah?!"

Karisi exhales sharply and brings her hand up to her face, rubbing the frustration out of her eyes "Seriously..." she stands looking into the ground as her hand continues it's massage on her head "Listen up, Darien." she takes a deep breath before continuing "I love you, Darien and you've done so much to help me get to where I am and for that I will always be grateful." her eyes look at you with some sympathy before turning into dread "But the next time you want to barge into my castle and show me all that disrespect especially in front of my warriors, syndicate members and my people, I will burn you so fucking hard."

You were taken aback as you just clear your throat unsure what to say next.

"I don't know what it is about you but there is something that I absolutely hate. Just ab-so-fucking-lutely hate!" her head begins shaking as she's eyeing your body "You're just..." she pauses, taking a deep breath "Let's just say, fuck everybody else as long as you and your friends are safe and if they don't fall in line with your orders you say screw them! You can't just go around pissing everybody off around you thinking your macho better-than-everybody attitude is going to continue to carry you in this life."

"How fucking dare you even say that!" you bark back at the Queen "How can you even say I only care about myself? In war I don't attack anybody that is defenseless! I try to help anybody and everybody in the Syndicate! Hell, even you, some Rathkin royalty and yet I'd drop whatever I could just to help you out!"

"Yeah, except when I told you to stay in Rathkin and everything would sort itself out, not ride north to the Syndicate and try your best to screw everything up because your poor Lexie may be in danger."

"Oh fuck you! I wasn't riding north just for Lexie!" Although to be fair Karisi read you like a book because that was basically the only reason you did ride north "You lied to me first about the entire plan and the entire Rathkin army marching north. I had to do what I could for the Syndicate!" you glare at her, thinking that'll show her your plan.

Karisi is getting annoyed "Such bullshit! But ya know what, fuck it!" she shrugs "Let's just go with your theory in regards to Hawk. What did he ever do to you that pissed you off so much that you would think he would try to kill you, huh?"

Absorbing the words of the wise woman for a few seconds "Well, because that's the type of guy Hawk is. A piece of shit. He was always out to get me from the first day I met him."

"So he'd just shoot you, just because that's who he is?" she shrugs "And then come help you in Rathkin the next day?" she raises her eyebrow at you "And ride north with Ashe and I to make sure we make it back to the Syndicate?" her head tilts "And help me with inside information in the Syndicate?" she steps forward "And do personal errands and orders from me?"

"I-I don't know...he's probably just playing you."

"Again, I ask. What did he ever do to you that pissed you off so much? Did he kill someone you know? Shove a knife in your back? Fuck someone you know?"

You had to think about it. The first time you ever saw Hawk was when Ashe and yourself were meeting with the King for the first time. You remember him being polite to the King, helping him sit, helping him drink and finally helping him leave. Then you remember after the King left he finally took down his hood and Ashe went crazy to finally meet him. It was at that point you didn't like him. You tried to think what else he did to you.

"Well?" she pries.

After he was so flirty with Ashe you never really gave him a chance. You then saw him making his move on her at your celebration where Ashe left him hard and craving release. Then not long after that you even planned to tease him relentlessly with Ashe only to capture him with Felix and Sylvius and hang him up over The Pit. To be fair, the only two things Hawk ever did to you that really pissed you off was flirting with Ashe and punching you outside Murnic, which after what you did to him the whole punch was actually kind of deserving...

Karisi just looks on waiting for a response. She notices your face scrunching up as you're thinking hard with thoughts.

The more you thought about it, the more you were beginning to realize you never even gave Hawk a chance. You were jealous that Ashe was so infatuated with him and you were going to do everything you could just to make sure he couldn't get with her. You've been extremely cruel and mean to the otherwise charming person "Ju-Just forget about it." you back down "Maybe...maybe you're right."

"Oooohhhhh" she groans on "what was that? What did you say?" she presses on.

""Mmm..." you mumble out.

"What was that? One more time, Darien?"

"maybeyoureright..." you whisper out softly as your eyes trail the ground.

"Wait, I think I heard that. Just, just a little louder please?"

You roll your eyes before looking back up at Karisi "Maybe you're right..." your voice goes monotone.

Karisi just let's out a gasp as her hands cup her mouth. It causes you to give her a closed mouth laugh as your cheeks bunch up slightly "You're annoying..."

Her excited acting ends as she goes back to her serious tone "I'll tell you what, Darien. You let me worry about Hawk and you go back to what you're good at. Go train, go fight, go fuck, go...shit I don't know, go do something and please, please just leave the politics to me." she begs you with her eyes.

You just release an extended low breathe.

"And stop pissing so many people off. You're back alive, people will be happy to see that, but come on, be friendly with people."

"I'll try." you grunt out.

"And one final thing..." you look up at her "Stop treating me like some piece of shit who will bend my knee and follow any order you say. I am your fucking Queen!" her anger coming back "When we're behind closed doors you can disrespect me how ever you fucking want, but at least in public show me some god damn respect. Understand?"

"S-Sorry, Karisi." your eyes drop to the floor "It's just, ya know, been crazy being out so long and waking up to all these changes..."

"I know, Darien." she replies sternly "Now go enjoy the day, do what you want, take your time. I don't expect you to be leaving the Syndicate anytime soon." she gives you a partial smile.

With a nod back towards Queen Karisi you turn around and leave her chambers.