Progress

Chapter 8: The Weight of an Emerald Crown

Two weeks.

Two weeks since a human from the Earth realm had stood beside three daughters of Outworld and Edenia and declared the beginning of a new era.

Fourteen days since the proclamation in the arena that had shaken the foundations of Outworld more violently than any war in recent memory.

For centuries, Outworld had been governed by fear, conquest and dominance. Shao Kahn’s rule had thrived on brutality. Even those before him had rarely ruled with compassion, the throne of Outworld was not meant to be gentle.

Yet now, something entirely unprecedented had taken its place.

Four rulers.

Three queens born of the realm’s most powerful bloodlines, one from Outworld and two from Edenia, and one outsider who had somehow become the binding **** between them.

The political shockwaves of that reality were still spreading across the vast territories of Outworld, and nowhere were those consequences felt more strongly than in the matter that had sparked the greatest upheaval of all.

The abolition of slavery.

The law itself had passed two weeks prior, but laws were easy to write.

They were far harder to enforce.

Outworld had relied on the **** trade for centuries; entire industries had been built around it. Entire noble houses had grown wealthy from it. In the dark corners of the realm, **** markets had existed openly, sometimes even under the protection of powerful factions and Shao Kahn’s ruling to increase his war machine.

When the decree from the throne came down, the reaction had been immediate.

Some cities complied…Some nobles protested.

Others simply ignored the law entirely, assuming the new rulers would be too busy stabilising the realm to enforce it or worse, for the rulership to be overthrown in the next couple of days.

That assumption had proven disastrously incorrect.

Kitana had taken personal command of the operation. Where Fenrir often served as the visible symbol of the new reign beside the queens, Kitana had become the architect of its legal authority.

Her calm, regal presence carried immense weight in Outworld. Many still remembered her as the rightful heir of Edenia; If anyone had the legitimacy to enforce such a radical reform, it was her.

And she had wasted no time.

Within days of the decree, she organised sweeping operations across Outworld’s known **** markets. Patrols were deployed to major trade hubs, with the help of Carkas, caravans were intercepted, and several black-market rings were dismantled entirely.

Jade had been at her side through most of it; Where Kitana brought diplomacy and command, Jade brought precision in combat and compassion in civil matters.
The former royal assassin and bodyguard had taken to the work with a quiet intensity. Several hidden **** trading dens that had evaded detection for years were uncovered within the first week, thanks to her intelligence networks supplied and supervised by Barong.

More than once, Jade personally led infiltration teams into those dens.

The results had been swift.

**** traders were arrested, their assets seized, and their operations were dismantled.

Those who resisted were dealt with decisively.

Outworld had begun to understand that the new throne was not simply making symbolic gestures. The law would be enforced; Order and prosperity would be brought back to Outworld.

But freeing slaves was only the first step; What came after proved far more complicated.

Thousands of individuals across Outworld had been living in bondage, some had been captured from distant realms; Others had been born into slavery, knowing no other life.

Suddenly, they were free, but freedom alone did not guarantee stability.

Kitana had anticipated this problem.

Within the first week, she began implementing a massive civil integration initiative across the major cities of Outworld.

Former slaves were granted legal recognition as citizens of the realm. Housing programs were established in Sun Do, Rômmun, and several other cities. Work opportunities were created within rebuilding projects funded by the crown.

For many of them, it was the first time they had ever been treated as people rather than property.

The gratitude was overwhelming…But there were complications.

Some of the freed individuals were not innocent victims of circumstance.

Many had originally been prisoners, criminals sold into slavery by corrupt authorities’ decades earlier. Handling those cases required a different approach.
That responsibility fell largely to Carkas.

The massive outworld warrior had taken the role with grim efficiency. Under his command, teams began identifying those individuals whose original sentences had been legitimate.

Rather than returning them to slavery, they were transported back to the now reformed prison systems of Lei Chen.

Justice, rather than exploitation…It was a small but crucial distinction. One that reinforced the message the new rulers were trying to send.

Outworld would still have laws, but cruelty would no longer be its foundation.

Meanwhile, another complex challenge emerged.

Not all slaves in Outworld were natives of the realm; many had been captured from other worlds. Earthrealm, Orderrealm, and even distant territories whose politics Outworld barely understood.

Returning them safely required diplomacy.

That task fell primarily to Kitana and Barong.

Barong, ever the cunning spymaster, had proven invaluable in coordinating the process. His vast trade networks and diplomatic contacts allowed them to identify where many of these individuals had originally come from.

Caravans were organised, portals negotiated, and small delegations were sent across realms with carefully documented prisoner transfers.

Earthrealmers were returned to their home realm under escort with the help of the special forces.

Orderrealm representatives arrived personally to reclaim their citizens.

For the first time in centuries, Outworld was engaging in diplomacy rather than conquest.

And the implications of that shift were enormous.

During those same two weeks, Kitana and Fenrir had also begun laying the groundwork for future alliances.

Two names came up repeatedly in council meetings after confirming the Tarkatan alliance.

The leader of the Osh-Tekk people is Kotal.

And Sheeva, the formidable general of the Shokan.

Both factions held significant influence across Outworld’s territories; Winning their cooperation would be essential for long-term stability.

Through Barong’s diplomatic channels, messages were sent requesting formal meetings in the coming weeks. Especially to deal first with the upcoming coronation of Goro...A decision must be reached to ensure that doesn’t happen.

The invitation was clear: The new rulers of Outworld wished to speak not as conquerors, but as partners.

And Fenrir himself would attend those negotiations personally.

While Kitana managed diplomacy and law, another monumental challenge loomed…Outworld’s economy.

The abolition of slavery had destabilised countless industries overnight.

Mining operations had lost big amount of their workforce. Several noble houses saw a good part of their income vanish almost instantly.
Without intervention, the realm could face economic chaos.

Once again, Kitana and Barong stepped forward to craft solutions. But this time, they were joined by an unexpected contributor.

Mileena. Though many still underestimated her due to her volatile reputation, Mileena possessed a surprising understanding of Outworld’s inner workings.
She knew the black markets, the smuggling routes and the power structures that operated beneath official law.

With her insight, the new rulers began implementing sweeping economic reforms.

**** labour was replaced with paid labour incentives; Former slaves were offered wages to join reconstruction efforts.

Merchant guilds were given tax reductions if they employed freed citizens, and the trade routes, previously dominated by slavers, were converted into legal commerce networks.

Barong reorganised the tariff system to encourage inter-city trade, and Kitana established royal infrastructure projects designed to stimulate employment across the realm.

Within two weeks, the early results were promising.

The economy had not collapsed.

In fact, several cities were already experiencing modest growth. Outworld functioned as a cooperative realm rather than a collection of warlord territories.
But the crown’s work did not happen only in council chambers, Fenrir had insisted on that from the beginning.

He refused to rule from behind palace walls.

If he was going to share the throne of Outworld, he would do so among its people.

And so, during those two weeks, the four rulers travelled constantly.

City after city, territory after territory, public gatherings, military inspections, etc.

The new reign had introduced itself directly to the citizens of Outworld.

Fenrir stood beside Kitana, Jade, and Mileena during each appearance; The symbolism was deliberate.

Outworld now had a united crown…But unity did not mean universal acceptance. Across several regions, powerful factions remained sceptical. Some nobles, still loyal to Shao Kahn's ideals, quietly resisted the new laws; Certain warlords openly questioned Fenrir's legitimacy as an Earthrealm, and in darker corners of the realm, whispers of rebellion had begun circulating…ones led by Shang Tsung rallied behind Reiko and the rebels.

Not everyone wanted this new era; some longed for the brutal simplicity of the old regime.

Those tensions had not yet erupted into open conflict…But they were growing at a steady pace.

While Outworld struggled, adapted, and slowly transformed under the weight of sweeping reforms, something quieter, but no less powerful, was unfolding behind the scenes.

The four rulers of the realm were learning how to exist together. A slow and intimate dance was being performed under the torchlights of the palace.

Fenrir had insisted early on that he would not become a distant ruler. If he were to wear the crown beside the two princesses of Outworld and their beautiful bodyguard, then he would earn the loyalty of the realm the only way he knew how, by standing beside its people.

So, for the last two weeks, he had barely remained in the palace.

Most mornings, from the past two weeks, began before sunrise with council briefings beside Kitana. By midday, he was riding across cities or desert territories with Jade or Mileena. Evenings often ended in public assemblies, military reviews, or diplomatic receptions.

It was exhausting work. But it was necessary.

Fenrir wanted the people of Outworld to see him not as a foreigner imposed upon them by fate, but as someone willing to share their burdens. And slowly, that effort was beginning to pay off.

Citizens who had once stared at him with suspicion were starting to greet him with cautious respect; Soldiers who had doubted his strength now spoke openly of the battles he had already fought in the tournament and his recent victory over Reiko in Sun Do…Even some sceptical nobles were beginning to acknowledge that the Earthrealmer possessed a rare quality among rulers.

Much of that work he shared directly with Kitana.

The two of them spent long hours together in council chambers, reviewing reports from across the realm. Kitana remained the most composed of the four rulers. She carried the weight of governance with practised grace, her voice calm even when discussing the most complex political matters.

But Fenrir had begun noticing subtle changes.

When their meetings stretched late into the night, her formality sometimes softened, small smiles appeared more often, and she allowed herself a few quips and playful banter like Jade and Mileena did.

Occasionally, their conversations drifted beyond politics entirely, into stories of her long-lost home, Edenia. Fenrir would listen to her stories with care. Sometimes, Kitana asked him instead to tell her about Earthrealm, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Fenrir answered gladly, bantering with her with love and care. Their bond grew each night more slowly compared to her fellow queens, but they enjoyed it equally, nevertheless.

Kitana, sometimes intrigued, asked him to tell her more about himself. He was still a mystery to him. Fenrir would answer gladly, but she still felt as if he wasn’t telling her everything…he avoided his childhood and his family as a whole. Instead, he preferred to switch topics with a joke to lighten the mood or ask her personal questions.

Kitana rarely allowed herself moments of vulnerability…Yet Fenrir had begun to see glimpses of them.

There were evenings when she would pause mid-discussion, her gaze lingering on him just a moment longer than necessary before she turned back to the documents before her.

Moments when her composed demeanour faltered just slightly whenever their hands brushed across the council table.

She never acknowledged it…But the tension between them was growing. One that she couldn’t deny intrigued her and welcomed her.

The last two days, there was more flirting…Confidence grew between each other. Sometimes it was just a small playful comment, followed or started by a joke, sometimes it would escape from Kitana’s lips, her heart and thoughts betraying her, making her blush in response. He didn’t shy away from it; instead, he embraced it, teasing back… and she couldn’t help but follow his playful and teasing game with joy and tenderness.

Perhaps, she had underestimated him… Perhaps something could happen between them one day.

And that thought made her body feel warm and longing for that tender touch he gave her… she wished it could be everlasting, but she was afraid. Afraid she would become too attached to him, for her to become afraid…of losing him.

Jade, on the other hand, made far less effort to hide the warmth growing between her and Fenrir.

Their partnership had become one of the most visible aspects of the new reign. Where Kitana handled diplomacy and administration, Jade often served as Fenrir's primary companion during field operations.

The two of them travelled together constantly; They inspected military outposts, negotiated with minor regional leaders and hunted down remnants of criminal networks left behind by the collapsing **** trade and the remnants loyal to Shao Kahn.

Jade thrived in those moments.

Away from the rigid formality of the palace, she became the confident, playful warrior Fenrir had first come to admire.

Their banter was constant. During long rides between cities, she often teased him relentlessly about his Earthrealm habits.

He returned the favour just as eagerly…Yet beneath the humour, something deeper had begun to grow.

Their connection, the strange destiny bond that had first manifested weeks ago, had only strengthened with time.

Sometimes it appeared as an unspoken awareness.

A subtle sense of the other’s emotions during tense negotiations. Other times, it was more physical. A quiet pull whenever they stood too close; A spark of electricity whenever their bodies met during combat training.

Both of them felt it, yet neither had fully acted on it. But everyone around them could see the inevitable direction of that bond.

Jade herself seemed increasingly aware of it…And increasingly curious about where it might lead.

Every day, every hour and every minute, he was fulfilling his promise to her…and that only made her want him even more.

Then there was Mileena.

If Kitana represented discipline and Jade represented balance, Mileena represented fire.

The transformation she had undergone over the past weeks surprised many who had known her only as the volatile princess of Outworld. Her ferocity had not disappeared, but it had found focus.

Mileena took a personal interest in stabilising regions of Outworld that had previously been dominated by criminal factions. She dismantled several underground smuggling rings that had once operated with impunity.

Those operations were brutal, when necessary, but always efficient.

But what few people knew…Was it that Mileena had also begun spending a very different kind of time with Fenrir?

A passionate and loving time that no one else but they was meant to see. Their relationship had crossed an unmistakable boundary after the night they shared.
Now they were lovers…But it remained a secret.

A carefully guarded one, Mileena had insisted on it.

Not because she was ashamed, quite the opposite, she cherished those moments with a fierce, almost possessive affection. But she also understood something important.

Fenrir's destiny did not belong to her alone.

She wanted him to explore his bond with Jade, and she suspected that Kitana’s guarded heart was slowly opening to and for him as well.

So, their relationship remained hidden…Which made it even more thrilling.

They met in quiet corridors late at night, stole kisses behind palace pillars and occasionally slipped away from royal gatherings with mischievous excuses that fooled no one but amused them both.

And when they managed to escape entirely…Their nights often ended the same way they had two weeks ago.

Wrapped in each other’s arms, laughing softly beneath the covers long after the rest of the palace had fallen asleep.

Mileena adored every second of it; She loved his warm body when she drifted to sleep on top of him, she loved it when she called him Mili when they were alone, making love and fucking each other's brains out and above all…she loved him. She didn’t need to deny herself anymore what her heart told her.
She was his, and he was hers.

Despite those growing bonds, the four rulers remained united above all else by duty.

Their schedules often overlapped; Their responsibilities intertwined.

There were nights when the four of them gathered together in the royal war chamber, maps of Outworld spread across the massive stone table as they discussed the next stage of reforms. An excuse to spend more time together.

Those meetings often lasted until long after midnight.

Arguments happened; So did laughter.

But through it all, a strange and powerful unity was forming between them.

Something stronger than politics, stronger than tradition.

They were becoming a family of rulers…lovers to and for each other.

And Outworld was beginning to feel the effects.

By the second week’s end, the relentless pulse of courtly life had thinned into something distant, almost forgotten. Footsteps that once echoed with urgency had faded, replaced by long stretches of stillness broken only by the whisper of banners shifting in the high arches. Sunlight poured through the towering windows in slanted beams, pale and deliberate, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch toward the throne itself, as if even the light bowed to it.

The corridors of the royal palace were lit only by the faint glow of the tired morning rays entering through the glass windows… It was on this beautiful and quiet afternoon that Jade found herself walking alone through the central throne chamber. The massive hall was silent; rays of tired afternoon light filtered through the towering windows, dimly illuminating the ancient stone floor.

The throne waited at the far end. It always did. Once the seat of tyrants, now the symbol of a new era.

Jade stopped several steps short; Her hands came together loosely before her, fingers interlacing, not out of discipline, but something personal. Something closer to grounding herself.

For centuries, that throne had been singular. One ruler, one will…One iron grip over Outworld and Edenia.

Now it stood for four.

Her gaze lingered on it, tracing its shape, its edges, the way the light caught against its worn surfaces…And her place beside it.

That thought did not come easily; it settled instead. Slow and deliberate, like a weight she was still learning how to carry.

She exhaled softly…The assassin was gone.

Not dead or forgotten, but no longer the woman who defined her every step. She was no longer the shadow behind Kitana…No longer the blade at Mileena’s side.
Now, when her name was spoken, it carried something else with it.

Not just Jade anymore.

Queen…Empress. The words still felt… unfamiliar. Not unwelcome, but not yet fully hers either. Even now, part of her resisted it; It didn’t come from doubt in her strength, but in her place.

Kitana had been born to rule; it was her duty and heritage. She was grace shaped into royalty.

Mileena, for all her chaos, carried the undeniable weight of imperial blood as Kitana did.

And Jade…Jade had earned her place from every scar she gained, every mission she completed and every silent sacrifice she had endured.

Yet standing here, before that throne, she could not ignore the quiet question that lingered beneath it all. “What does it mean… for a nobody like me to become this?”

Her fingers tightened slightly against each other.

Because something had changed; Not in her title or duty…but in her.

It had begun after the arena.

At first, she had dismissed it; Training always reshaped the body, refined and sharpened it. But this was… different. It was subtle yet persistent.

Her movements had grown lighter, almost effortless. Her balance is more precise, her reflexes cleaner, not simply honed, but aligned.

Even her body…There was a softness now; barely perceptible, yet undeniable. Not weakness. Never that, but a refinement. A quiet elegance threading through muscle and form. Where strength had once been sharply defined, it now flowed more naturally; Sleek, fluid, and almost inviting in its shape. Her curves carried themselves with a subtle, undeniable elegance, her physique less rigidly trained and more… refined, like something sculpted rather than forged.

Her skin, too…She resisted the instinct to brush her fingers along her arm. It felt different. Smoother…warmer. As though something beneath it had awakened and settled into place.

It made no sense.

Edenians were long-lived, resilient and naturally gifted. But this… this was different. It felt less like growth and more like awakening. As if something within her had stirred, responding to forces she could not yet see.

Royal blood, perhaps? The thought came unbidden and lingered longer than she liked.

That should not have been possible. Her gaze lifted again toward the throne, and yet….For the first time in her life, the distance between her and that seat did not feel defined by birth.

There were moments, fleeting but real, where she felt… seen in a way she never had before. Not by others, but by something deeper. As if her body itself was responding to a call she could not hear, a destiny she didn’t understand.

Her lips pressed together faintly. Or perhaps…Perhaps she simply wanted to believe there was a reason.

A cause for her whole world to turn upside down.

Because the alternative was that this was something she did not understand, something beyond her control…That unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
In that moment of inner turmoil, her gaze softened again, drifting inevitably to him.

Fenrir…The thought of him did not arrive with the same heaviness.

It never did. It slipped in quietly… and then refused to leave.

A small, almost **** smile touched her lips when thinking of him.

Strange, she thought to herself, of all the forces that had reshaped Outworld, it was not war, nor politics, nor divine decree that unsettled her most. It was him.

At first, she had watched him as she would any outsider; carefully, patiently, waiting for the cracks to show. For arrogance, for weakness and for the inevitable moment where power revealed the truth of a man.

It never came. Instead… he listened. He learned from them. Not as a ruler assessing value or as a warrior measuring strength, but as someone who truly cared. That alone had been disarming.

And then there was the way he moved through this world, unfamiliar, often out of place, yet never overwhelmed by it. He adapted, learned and challenged what needed to be challenged… and laughed in the face of what once terrified others.

He was not naive. He saw the darkness in Outworld clearly and still… he chose to care. That, more than anything, had stayed with her. It was… refreshing. Dangerously so.

Jade’s expression softened, though a flicker of restraint followed close behind it.

She should not be thinking of him like this. Not so often. Not so… easily.

Somewhere along the way, her curiosity had shifted. Respect had followed. And now…Now there was something else. Something warmer, something that lingered longer than it should.

She had begun to enjoy his presence, to seek it. She had to resist the instinct to linger when he was near.

Her hand rose, hesitant this time, before settling lightly against her abdomen.

The gesture stilled her. For a moment, she said nothing, did nothing, simply stood there, aware of the thought that had led her to it.
The idea of a future had once been abstract.

Now…It had shape. It had him in it, for them to rule together as queen and emperor of Outworld. For a bloodline to be created from prosperity and justice.
Jade’s fingers pressed faintly against her stomach, her breath catching just slightly as the thought fully formed of their future, unbidden, unwelcome… and yet not entirely rejected.

A child. Their child…one to continue the work they had started and to share their values.

Her jaw tightened almost immediately, and her hand lowered as if she had been caught in the act of something forbidden. “No…” she murmured under her breath, more to herself than in denial. “Control yourself.”

It was too soon…Too much.

She was not some naive girl to be swept away by warmth and soft words. She had lived through centuries of war, betrayal, and bloodshed.

She knew better…didn’t she?

The thought of him came sharper than the rest. She has feelings for him. Those thoughts were not simple…They were not just a desire.

Her breath softened again despite herself. And yet…There were nights, quiet ones, where her mind betrayed her discipline. Where memory turned to imagination far too easily. Where the warmth of his presence lingered longer than it should have, where the memory of his voice, his touch, settled into something deeper… something harder to ignore. Something that asked release from her… and he was the reason for it.

Despite her best efforts, some nights, she allowed herself to indulge…Not fully, but she did not deny it either.

That was the danger.

Because it was not fleeting, it was growing stronger each day.

And that, more than anything, was what unsettled and excited her the most about her feelings for him.

Jade lifted her gaze once more to the throne. It was a symbol now to her of her destiny and the legacy she will inherit for the world.

It was in that fragile moment, when thought lingered too long and certainty began to slip, that Fenrir's presence found her. “Someone looks like she’s about to challenge the throne to a duel.” His voice carried a quiet warmth, touched with amusement.

Jade did not turn immediately, but there was the faintest shift in her posture, a subtle awareness of him before she allowed herself to acknowledge it. He had approached without sound, as always… though she suspected he let her notice him this time.

She turned her head slightly, a soft smile forming beneath her veil. “And someone approaches far too quietly for an emperor,” she replied, her tone smooth, composed… but laced with playful reproach.

Fenrir placed a hand over his chest in mock offence. “I’ll have you know I was being respectful.”

“Mm.” Jade’s eyes narrowed just slightly in amusement. “You were being nosy.”

“That too,” he admitted easily, a crooked smile forming. “But in my defence…” His gaze flicked toward the throne. “You were staring at that thing like it personally offended you.”

Her gaze followed his, returning to the throne.

“It has offended many,” she said lightly. “Though I was not aware it had begun choosing its victims selectively.”

Fenrir let out a quiet huff of laughter, folding his arms loosely. “Good. Then it’s not just me.”

That earned him a glance, one sharpened with curiosity. “Oh?” Jade tilted her head faintly. “You take issue with it?”

“Take issue?” he echoed, stepping closer, his expression twisting in mild disbelief. “Jade, it’s made of bones.”

She paused for a second, then she blinked. Once, then twice. “…You have ruled for weeks,” she said slowly, almost carefully. “And now you object to that detail?”

“I was distracted,” he shot back, raising a hand defensively. “You know, new realm, political tensions… not dying. Minor things.”

A breath escaped her, soft, controlled… though the hint of laughter beneath it was unmistakable.

“And now that you have found the time,” she continued, voice smooth again, “you have concluded that the throne is… unsuitable.”

“‘Horrible’ was the word I was going to use,” Fenrir corrected, stepping up beside her. “Seriously, who looks at a pile of dragon bones and thinks, yes, that’s where I want to sit for hours?”

Jade’s shoulders lifted ever so slightly as she suppressed another laugh.

“Shao Kahn,” she answered simply.

“…Right,” Fenrir muttered. “That tracks.”

A brief silence settled between them, but this one was different. Lighter…Easier.

“So,” he added, glancing at her with a small grin, “since you were already judging it, I figured I’d ask. Any ideas?”

Jade studied him for a moment, as if weighing whether he was serious. “You would have me advise you on the throne of Outworld?” she asked.

“I would,” he said without hesitation. Then, after a beat, with a slight shrug, “Unless that’s… You know, illegal.”

“It is not illegal,” she replied, her tone smoothing into something more thoughtful. “Unusual, perhaps.”

“Good,” he said. “I’m very good at unusual.”

“Yes,” Jade murmured dryly. “I have noticed.”

Her gaze returned to the throne, but this time, it was different. She wasn’t contemplating it; instead, she was evaluating it.

“If it is to be remade,” she began slowly, “then it should reflect not only power… but purpose.”

Fenrir nodded, listening.

“Ebony,” she continued, her voice taking on a softer, more deliberate cadence. “The throne should be detailed with intricate carvings so it doesn’t feel common. Polished, but not excessive. Strength, without cruelty. Ivory accents for the design… though not taken from conquest.”

He tilted his head slightly. “That specific, huh?”

Jade glanced at him. “You asked for my opinion,” she said, a faint smirk touching her lips.

“Fair,” he conceded.

“Crimson cushions,” she added, turning her gaze forward again. “Not merely for comfort, but as a reminder. Of the blood this realm has shed… and what must never be repeated. And two wolf statues, a few steps below on the sidelines of the steps.”

Fenrir's expression shifted subtly at that. Less amused now, more thoughtful.

“…Yeah,” he murmured. “I like that.”

There was a brief pause before he looked at her again.

“And yours?”

Jade blinked, caught slightly off guard.

“Mine?”

“Your throne,” he clarified. “What would it look like?”

For a moment, she said nothing.

Then she exhaled softly, her gaze lowering just a fraction. “I had not considered it,” she admitted. “It is not my place to rival yours.”

Fenrir frowned slightly. “Why not?”

She turned to him, more fully now. “Because,” she said evenly, “you are the emperor. It is your voice that will be heard first. Your presence will define this court.”

There was no challenge in his tone; Only quiet disbelief.

Jade held his gaze for a moment… then looked away again.

“It is not the same.”

A beat passed, a soft silence between them. “…Jade,” Fenrir said, softer now. “That’s not how I see it.”

She didn’t respond immediately. And he didn’t push.

Instead, after a moment, he shifted slightly, his tone easing back into something lighter, though not careless. “Besides,” he added, “if I’m stuck sitting up there, I’m not doing it alone. That’d be terrifying.”

That earned him a look. “Terrifying?” she echoed.

“Yeah,” he said with a small shrug. “All that power, all those expectations… no backup? No thanks.”

Her lips curved faintly. “You would have three queens at your side,” she said. “I do not believe you lack support.”

“I don’t,” he agreed. “Which is exactly why you should all have your own thrones.”

Jade studied him again, longer this time.

He meant it; That much was clear.

“You are… persistent,” she said at last.

“I’ve been told worse.”

She huffed a quiet breath, almost a laugh. “Very well,” she conceded. “If I were to choose…”

Her posture shifted slightly, her hand rising to rest lightly against her chin as she considered.

“There is something,” she began slowly. “A legend, from Edenia.”

Fenrir's interest sharpened immediately. “I’m listening.”

“A tree,” she said. “Ancient and revered, it is called Delian.”

He frowned slightly, the name stirring something distant. “…Delian,” he repeated. “That sounds familiar.”

Jade’s eyes flicked toward him; curiosity piqued. “It should not,” she said. “Few beyond Edenia know of it.”

Fenrir scratched lightly at the back of his neck. “I mean… I might be wrong, but it sounds similar to Delia? The sorceress? Wife of Argus?”

Jade’s brows lifted, genuine surprise this time. “…You know of her?”

“Sort of,” he admitted. “We had lessons at the Wu Shi academy months before the tournament. Raiden, the Shaolin… they tried to prepare us for it.”

“Tried?” she echoed.

He gave her a sheepish grin. “I… may have skipped a few lessons.”

A quiet laugh slipped from her, softer now, but warmer. “I see.”

“I showed up for the important parts,” he added quickly.

“I am certain you did,” she replied, tone dry… though her eyes betrayed her amusement.

She turned slightly, beginning to walk slowly along the edge of the chamber. He followed without thinking.

“The Delian tree,” she continued, “is said to have grown near the temple of Argus, in Edenia’s southern highlands.” As she spoke, her voice shifted. Less teasing now, more measured, almost reverent. “According to legend, Delia once witnessed a vision… one that brought her great sorrow. Her tears fell upon the roots of a sandalwood tree.”

Fenrir's expression softened as he listened.

“And those tears…” she went on, “changed it.”

“How?” he asked.

She glanced at him briefly. “They gave it life beyond life,” she said. “Its wood became pale, like a polished pearl. Its roots… unending.”

He frowned slightly. “So… it can’t die?”

“It can be cut,” she clarified. “But never truly destroyed, it renews itself and endures.”

“…That’s…” He exhaled softly. “That’s actually incredible.”

“It is more than that,” Jade said quietly. “It is a symbol.” She slowed slightly. “Of resilience,” she continued. “Of beauty born from sorrow.”

Fenrir looked at her then, not at the imagined tree.

At her.

She stilled for half a step, then resumed walking. “If such wood still exists,” she added, her tone returning to composure, “it would be fitting for a throne. Not one built on conquest… but on something enduring.”

Fenrir nodded slowly. “I’d like to see that. Does it still exist?” he asked.

Jade’s gaze lowered slightly. “I do not know,” she admitted. “I have searched for it before… near the ruins of Argus’ temple. It was never there.”

Fenrir studied her for a second… then said, more softly, “But you think it is.”

She met his eyes again. “Yes.”

Something in her expression shifted, just slightly.

“Then we find out,” he said simply. There was no hesitation in it, no weight. Just intent.

“You would… come with me?” she asked.

“Of course,” he said, as if it were obvious. “If it matters to you, it matters to me.”

She studied him for a moment. “…Very well,” she said quietly.

They had come to a stop again without noticing.

A breath passed between them. And then, more gently this time, Fenrir stepped closer. His hands found her waist, hesitant for a fraction of a second, as if giving her time to refuse.

She didn’t.

Instead, her fingers moved to rest over his, guiding them into place. His arms settled around her, drawing her back against him. The contact was warm, steady.
Jade exhaled slowly, her body easing into his hold as her hands lightly traced over his forearms. She could feel the subtle tension in him, the restraint…the care.
Her head tilted just slightly, resting back against his shoulder. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Their breathing slowed, falling into a quiet rhythm. Fenrir's grip tightened tenderly and warmly, just enough to be felt, not enough to bind. Jade’s fingers pressed faintly against his skin in response…A silent answer.

“…Thank you,” she said quietly.

Fenrir's grip tightened just a fraction in response; not possessive, not forceful. Just present.

“I meant it,” he murmured.

Jade’s thumb traced absent patterns along the back of his hand, slow and thoughtful. “…Kitana would appreciate it as well,” she added after a moment. “And Mileena… though she may pretend otherwise.”

Fenrir huffed softly with a smile on his lips. “Yeah, I can see that.” They stood like that for a moment longer.

Jade allowed herself a soft, satisfied hum, the sound low and almost absent-minded as she remained within the circle of his arms.

“Now that we are in agreement…” she murmured, her fingers idly tracing over his knuckles, “…we should open the throne room; it feels like a tomb.”

Fenrir let out a chuckle against her hair. “That’s one way to describe it.”

She tilted her head slightly, her temple brushing faintly against his cheek as she continued, more thoughtfully now. “Windows behind the throne, perhaps. Tall ones. Let the sun in during the day… the moons at night. Air, too.” She paused thoughtfully. “Some life would be much appreciated.”

He hummed in consideration, his grip tightening just slightly at her waist as if anchoring himself to her words. “Are you proposing renovations, Your Majesty?”

There was a playful note to it. Jade’s lips curved faintly. “I am.”

“I didn’t know you had architectural ambitions,” he added, a hint of teasing slipping through. “Should I be worried?”

That earned him a soft exhale of amusement.

“You should be grateful,” she replied, her tone sharpening just enough to feel deliberate, yet still warm. “The three of us have been discussing this for days.”
Fenrir's brows lifted. “The three of you?”

Jade turned within his hold then, not pulling away immediately, but shifting just enough that their bodies brushed closer for a brief, lingering second before she stepped out of his arms.

Her hand slid from his as she did, though her fingers lingered a heartbeat longer than necessary.

“Yes,” she said, placing one hand on her hip, regaining her composure, though the faint colour still lingered on her cheeks from his touch. “Kitana and I have taken the lead; even Mileena has been enthusiastic.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Fenrir muttered with a warm smile, happily amused at Mili’s antics.

Jade let out a quiet laugh. “Only if you oppose her.”

He smirked faintly. “Noted.”

She studied him for a moment, then gave his hand a light, playful squeeze, an unspoken invitation.

“Come,” she said. “I will show you.”