Barry sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze distant and unfocused, his hands clenching and relaxing in a slow, irregular rhythm. In his mind, he tried to go over the conversation with Pan again. It was like watching a train-wreck in slow motion. It had started with the slap, a loss of control, a derailment that began the domino. His emotions had flash boiled into an explosion and everything afterwards turned into a tumble down a canyon with slippery walls.

And now he was here, wondering how he could have done it differently, how he could do it differently. Was there even a chance? He’d go back, talk to her, and… He held his head between his hands, fingers digging into the red hair as he felt the weight falling on his shoulders like a slow avalanche, creeping its way down to squish him against the ground.

A heavy weight settled on the bed next to him. He didn’t need to look at her to know who it was. “You’re going to kill her.”

“Yes.”

“Because I failed.”

“No. Do not mistake my ruling with your responsibility.” Embla said. She was naked, leaning against her knees, looking off into the room. “The condition for her survival was my mercy. You offered her a way to live, and she has not taken it.”

“She doesn’t deserve to die.”

“That is not for you to decide.”

“It doesn’t make it right!” He rose to his feet. “She’s a bad person, yes, but-.”

Embla was standing in front of him before he could even take a step. Her eyes were cold, startlingly so. The dark skinned woman that stood a full head and a half taller than him leaned down, calloused fingers tilting his head upwards so their gazes would meet. “You are the most important person in this whole Court.”

“Those are your emotions.”

“Yes.” She leaned down, kissing him, her other hand pulling him against her hard naked scarred body. “But it’s far more than that. With you we stand a chance, we have hope. You do not realize your importance, but you will, in time.”

“That… that does not make this right.” His hands reached out to push her away, there was no resistance to be had. He stumbled a step back and caught his breath.

“It is simple, Barry. Only by accepting you does she get to live.” Embla’s eyes glimmered in the darkness, peering at him with intensity. “This is not a test for you, but for her.”

“But I could force her.”

“If that is your wish, then do so.”

“Decisions are meaningless if you’re forced into them.”

There was a long pause, a tense silence. Embla stood before him as she peered at him. For a moment Barry felt as if she were about to pounce, to attack, a cold chill of certainty. But one that bore no fruit. With a sigh, she sat down on the bed, closing her eyes and lowering her head.

“You still have much to learn, Barry.” She shook her head. “You will attempt to bond her tomorrow, again.”

“How!?”

“Ask for my help.”

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“What?”

“I am your leader. Ask for my help.”

“I… I want you not to kill Pan.”

“I gave my ruling, and the conditions were set. Ask for my help, Barry, not my capitulation.”

“…” His hands clenched. “Please help me.”

At his words. Embla raised her gaze back to him and then turned her focus to the door. A simple gesture of her head and it opened. A single figure stepped through before it closed. Her black hair was tied into a tight ponytail, her body barren of clothes save for a long brown gown. Kajou stepped further into the room, her face turned downward, eyes heavy with regret. The Amazon dragged her feet as she approached the center of the room.

“Kneel.”

Embla’s command shook the room. Kajou stumbled to the floor. A long slow sigh and her shoulders slumped further.

“I don’t…” Barry looked between the slumped Kajou and Embla. “What is the meaning of this?”

“She wishes to help.” Embla answered, crossing her arm. “Use her.”

“You make it sound as if-.”

“As if she is a tool, yes.” Embla’s words made Kajou and Barry flinch at the same time. The Lady didn’t acknowledge their discomfort, however.

“That’s not… that’s not how I want to do things.”

“That is fine as well.”

Barry glanced at Embla as she leaned back on the bed, keeping her eyes on Kajou. It was clear she wasn’t about to leave or give them privacy. If anything, it felt as if she was gauging Kajou more than anything else. It left the Amazoness on her knees with her head lowered, and with a bad taste in Barry’s mouth.

He didn’t know how to proceed, so he just went for the basics.

“Could you tell me about Pan? About her past? Who she is?”

“… yes.” Kajou spoke with a small voice. “She didn’t grow up in Coven. She’d run away from the kingdom back when she was a Warrior.”

“Warrior?”

“The base form. She later shifted into a Valkyrie.”

“Sorry for the interruption, please continue.”

“Her family tried to sell her while she was still a kit.” A slight shake of the head followed. “Pan rarely ever spoke about them.”

“You are skipping details.” Embla spoke with a frown. “Barry is not of this world. He does not know of the things you’ve left unspoken.”

“Oh.”

The maiden was so… meek. Kajou’s weak nod felt like it just didn’t belong on the maiden that had been so fiercely combative in Barry’s memory.

“Pan’s family was poor, and they had sold her as a kit. Maidens cannot form bonds until they’ve reached full maturity. Those willing to buy maidens that young are usually those with…”

“They are monsters.” Embla interrupted with a snarl.

Kajou nodded.

“And the kingdom does nothing?”

“Sometimes they do, most times they don’t. Justice does not matter, power does.”

“And… what happened? To Pan?” Barry asked.

“She escaped after a year with… them. Still a kit. She managed to cross the eastern mountains though barely. But…” Another shake of the head. “We taught her our ways, we gave her shelter, trained her, showed her how to be strong and how to protect herself. But it always felt as if a part of her had never truly left that place.”

Barry nodded, perking up slightly. “So… so that’s it, right? I just need to help her see I’m not like that monster.” He glanced at Embla and Kajou as he spoke, neither reacting to his proclamation. The silence that stretched on had a weight to it, a pressure. “… right?”

“Are you asking us, or are you making an affirmation?”

“I’m… asking.”

Kajou stirred slightly. “Perhaps that could help. Pan… Pan is a good person. Her anger gets in the way of it. I’ve seen her jump into danger to protect innocent people. She’s saved me more than a few times.”

“Hopefully we’ll think of something.” Barry nodded enthusiastically, turning to Embla.

She met his gaze, but did not speak, the quiet pressure of her presence no less forceful even as she sat as the only naked person in the room.

“What… about you? What do you think?”

“I think you tried to reach out for someone floating in the river who thought they’d prefer the waterfall ahead.” There was a cadence to her words, unrelenting. “My thoughts on this matter are that people become far more willing to take your hand when they’re drowning.”