September 1998
Anticosti Island, Chara, Quebec, Canada
Dreadful days had almost become commonplace for the bright and bustling city of Chara. The clouds never seem to lighten as they continuously flooded their tears upon the streets and the sun ceased to shed its warmth and rays that would brighten every window. But it seemed to match the gloominess that was settling within Yara.
Her dark expression was looking back at her through her bathroom mirror, she stared in silence as the faucet ran. She didn't even try to get a wink of sleep last night and it showed. Her eyes were ringed with dark circles that sabotaged the beautiful features of her face. She grew tired of the reporters waiting outside her door day and night. Hearing the fast clicks of cameras and chattering of journalists. But today that was the least of her problems.
Her mind drifted to her memories, very recent ones, ones that caused her state of misery. The trial of Reyna Reed-Ashton. The courtroom. The constant shouting of the council and the jury. And worst of all, the hair-raising screams of the very woman she promised to protect, along with her very undeserving sentence. She regretted every single moment.
Rage filled her once again as the words echoed in her mind.
"The defendant has been sentenced to capital punishment."
After everything the council had gone through since Reyna's return, after sleepless nights of pushing for her to get a life sentence, trying to sway the public with honesty and integrity, was all for naught. They still saw her as a monster, a dangerous creature that didn't deserve a chance to redeem herself, to live for her newborn daughter. They were scared, and they had every right to be....
On paper, Reyna was a traitor, a power-thirsty murderous fiend. But to Yara, she was just a person begging for survival, a new life for her family. Chara was falling apart piece by piece, especially with a council that couldn't agree with one another. She was alone in her sympathy for her and she was alone in her decision. She clenched her jaw as remembered Reyna's pleading cries as the officers dragged her away, and she was screaming for her. For Yara. And she just stood there, tears brimming her eyes and unable to speak a word.
"You should've done more", she thought as she looked at her reflection. She was disgusted with herself. She made a promise that she couldn't keep, and now Reyna's blood is on her hands forever.
"Yara?" A voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she quickly turned off the running water. She looked up to see Nazir in the doorway. Her face was riddled with concern. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, sporting her casual nightwear. She had almost forgotten that she let her "stay the night". Yara avoided her eyes and sighed. "I'm fine, Naz-"
"You're not. Stop saying that." Her eyes bored into the side of her face, somberness setting into her features. The silence between them was heavy. Nazir knew her like the back of her hand. "You can fool Andra and Pell, but you can't fool me..." She continued.
Yara huffed, as she finally made eye contact with her. "I'm tired of being a fuck-up." She said, a lump forming in her throat, but she swallowed it down.
She clenched her jaw as tugged at her suit jacket buttoning it up and stared blankly in the mirror. "Everything I touch it fucking disintegrates."
Her arms dropped to their sides, turning back to Nazir as her face wore the same dark expression that she gave her reflection.
"And the more I try to fix it, the worse it gets."
Nazir let out a heavy sympathetic sigh as she called out to her, strutting out of the bathroom and into the hallway. "Yara-"
She followed her into the kitchen and Yara hastily cleaned up her mess before she left. She slammed the counter, nearly making Nazir jump.
"Why didn't I-" She raised her voice in anger, but she caught herself. Her fist balled up as she slowly breathed out. Nazir leaned over the counter and Yara did the same.
"Why didn't I go after her? Stop those shitty guards from... manhandling her?" She snarled, as her tongue grazing over her teeth and leg quickly shook under the counter.
Nazir laid a hand on top of hers, and spoke to her gently. "You did everything you could..."
"We all did."
Yara only shook her head, frowning, and only staring at the marbled counter below her.
"It wasn't enough."
"I didn't fight for her like I should have." She muttered.
Nazir disagreed.
"This is all Loren's doing. Not you."
In a way, she was right. It was his fault. He managed to persuade Dominic and Osiris to side with at least 53% of Charian citizens. All because he didn't agree. He didn't like what Yara had to say. So he caused a capital uproar on his own. One that she couldn't ignore and she could turn away from it.
"But I still let him do it! That's the problem..."
Yara's voice was present with distress as she continued. "He owns the entire military sector, he is powerful. That's why he's our ally."
Yara pressed and poked her manicured finger into the counter. "But that entire trial was a demonstration, a threat!"
She nearly broke as her hands began to shake. "If we push him..." She exhaled heavily.
"He will push harder, and he will win."
Nazir grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into her eyes."He won't. You are the Head Councilwoman, Yara." She breathed out, looking her straight in the eyes as she spoke softly. "Just say the word and we will fix this. However you see fit."
Yara gently took her hand and pulled it down from her face and she stood up straighter. "....There's no changing this. Reyna is still dying..." She said, slowly, grabbing her keys and her briefcase and heading for the door.
"Yara, wait-" Nazir begged her as she followed behind. "I'm gonna be late." Yara interrupted her, turning to face her. "Just..." She tried to find the words as Nazir gave a pleading look. She sighed, and turned back around to open the door. "I'll see you at the ritual chamber later on today..." And with that she closed the door, leaving Nazir alone. "Shit..." She breathed out, combing a hand through her hair as she plopped down on the couch and buried her face in her hands.
As soon as Yara left, she was met with flashing cameras and reporters bombarding her with questions.
"Councilwoman Yara, how do you feel about the trial's verdict?"
"Do you believe that capital punishment was a fair sentencing for Ashton?"
"Are the rumors about her newborn being a hybrid true?"
"It seems that nearly half of your council are at odds, do you believe that Chara is in the process of witnessing the fall of the oligarchy?"
She sped through them, desperation in her eyes as she focused on trudging her way to her parked Bentley. She could barely breathe as they crowded around her, and the very second where it felt like they might take up any ounce of oxygen she had left, she swung her car door open as much she could and squeezed inside.
She exhaled loudly as she gently rested the back of her head on the headrest. The shouting of the reporters was enough to make her ear bleed. It felt like nails going along a chalkboard. The car window was the only thing separating her from those bloodthirsty animals. The shouting was muffled, and she was more than relieved. She started the engine of her car and the crowd of reporters moved out of her way as she backed out of her driveway and coasted onto the streets.
Stolen novel; please report.
Yara had finally arrived at the Charian Maximum Prison Sector. The sector was conjoined with the courthouse that caused her tragic memories of when she last saw Reyna. Just one look at the large gray pillar building and the sounds of her screams came flooding back to hear. It didn't help that she was scheduled to meet with her today. This wasn't even a part of the plans she made for Reyna. But that was only if she had received the life sentence.
Paige could've stayed here. Lived and learned about who she really was with Yara guiding her every step. Supervised visitation with her mother and maybe even learning about her father too. She would be protected from anyone that wished her harm. Reyna loved the idea and to be honest, Yara loved it too. In the back of her mind, she always wished to know what it was like to have a daughter. Having a little version of her idolizing her, looking up to her. Being able to raise her and teach the wonders of the world, and eventually the dangers too. Of all her years of living, she was just focused on saving people, giving others a better life, giving justice to innocent people whose lives were wrongfully taken. She had meaning to her life, a purpose. But, she learned for a legacy.
"Councilwoman Yara?" She was pulled out of thoughts by a voice, as on the courthouse bench. She turned towards the voice, to see one of the officers.
"...We're ready for you." He said, with a quick grin. "Oh, thank you." She gave him a nod as she followed him to a large metal door at the back of the courthouse, leading to the conjoined prison sector.
"Would you like a guard to escort you, ma'am?" He asked as they walked.
"No, I don't think that's necessary. I won't be long." She said, while fixing the sleeves of her suit, she earned a concerned look from him.
"Are you certain?"
She huffed, and stopped walking. "Officer Bailey, look at me." She ordered, and he willingly turned around to face her.
"Do I look like I scare easily?" She asked, with a raised brow.
"This has nothing to do with your bravery, Councilwoman." He started as he walked closer to her. All of sudden, he leaned in closer to her face, as if he was saying something that was only for her ears.
"According to Councilman Loren, you and Ashton's relationship has gotten personal-"
Yara immediately interrupted, a grimace spreading across her face. Of all people, he chose to actually listen to him?! The same bastard that tried to practically overthrow her council in the span of two weeks?! The nerve of him. The audacity of him.
She replied to him sharply, clearly irritated by his choice to bring up Loren's opinion. "Because I was given the task to be responsible for her. I am simply doing my job."
She gave him a deathly stare warning her to not cross her, as she continued.
"A very quick reminder that I am at the head of this council, not Loren. Do not question my judgment again, officer." She nearly hissed at him.
Officer Bailey straightened up his body and with an uneasy look on his face. "...Yes ma'am." He muttered shakily. She continued to walk past him and she arrived in front of the metal door.
"Like I said, I won't be long. Afterwards, you can escort me to the ritual chamber, to deal with Reyna's newborn."
"As you wish." He said with a slight bow of his head and he walked up to the door as well.
The officer unhooks his large ring of keys and quickly unlocks the case to the keypad of the heavy titanium door. The keypad beeps quietly as he presses in the numbers swiftly, earning a loud ring from the door's system with the light above it glowing green.
The officer let out a grunt as he slid the door open. On the other side, Yara was greeted with a long and dark staircase, almost resembling something from a creepy basement from a horror movie. But it didn't faze her one bit. She was used to going down here to deal with prisoners, some on her own and others with officers accompanying her. But this still felt vastly different from any of them. She hadn't seen Reyna since the trial and her anticipation to see her was gradually transforming into nerves.
She pushed it down and gave the officer a firm nod as she began to descend the stairs. She made it to the bottom, and before her was a long hallway, lined with several of the same metal titanium doors. The guards stoically stood beside them. It was quiet mostly, aside from a few crazy prisoners shouting muffled, incoherent things at the guards. They all greeted her with a slight bow, and a few of them spoke.
"Good day, Councilwoman."
"Nice to see you, ma'am."
"Let us know if you need anything, Councilwoman."
The clicking of her heels stopped in front of one of the doors labeled "038". The guard beside the door spoke. "Here to see Reyna, I presume?"
She was finally here. She could barely get out a "Yes", as her nerves began to show themselves once more, her hands began to clam up as she held onto her briefcase. The guard nodded as he began the same procedure, as the officer on the door. Within seconds, the door opened and she let out a shaky breath as her eyes landed on her.
The room inside was painted with silver metal, from the walls to the floor. There was nothing but a simple sink, a toilet and a bed, which a dejected Reyna sat on, wearing a pair of gray sweats, along with an advanced pair of cuffs, that was attached to a collar. Instead her beautiful long braids, her hair was shaved and her face was littered with cuts and bruises.
"Ashton, the Councilwoman is here to see you." The guard announced.
Reyna didn't say a word. She didn't even look at her. She just continued to stare at the ground. Yara and the guard exchange a glance and she hesitantly walks inside her cell. "Leave us, please." Yara ordered the guard politely and closed the metal door behind him as he left.
Yara stood in front of her, holding the handle of her briefcase in both hands. With a sigh, she began. "It's...good to yo-"
"What do you want?" Reyna's voice was drastically different from before. There was no brightness to it. Matter of fact, it had no emotion in it at all. Yara stood shocked from her question and from how she was acting.
"What. Do. You. Want." She repeated intensely, still refusing to look at her. Her heart sank as she heard her voice again.
Yara's mouth became dry and she gulped. "I came to inform you about Paige."
"Save your breath, then." Reyna ordered monotonously. "One of your filler agents already told me your plans for her..." She grimaced, still not looking her in the eyes.
Yara sighed heavily, and rolled her eyes, making a note to talk to the agent that's been tending to Reyna in her place. In a way, Yara already knew that she deserved much more than to hear that from someone else. "I wanted you to hear it from me-"
"Why?" Reyna interrogated her, her eyes finally snapping up to look at her. There was only rage present in them as Yara looked back at her. "So you could sugar coat it?" Reyna continued, her voice was still extremely monotone, but Yara could hear the hurt and the pain clear as day. The tightness in her voice, the blank stares of nothingness that she gave her. Reyna had nothing left to give her. "So you could soften the blow?"
"Reyna-" Yara breathed out, almost begging for her to let her explain the situation.
"Don't fucking speak." Reyna hissed, causing Yara's breath to hitch. But she was right. There was nothing she could say or do or "explain" that would make this right.
Reyna huffs and shakes her head. "First you and this hell of a city take away my rights," her jaw clenched as she spoke. Yara could practically feel the anger rising out of her.
"And now you plan to take my life and the only piece that my daughter has of her mother?!" Reyna seethed. Her eyes were like daggers to Yara's heart and soul, cutting and slicing at her piece by piece.
Yara shifted as she tried to find the words to make it better. "She can live a normal life, this will be good for her-"
"How dare you stand here and think that you're in a position to know what's good for a child that you don't even fucking know?!" Reyna growled. The silence in the room was potent. With every word, Yara was only making it worse. Reyna continued to heartlessly judge her. She didn't have to move around, jam fingers in her face, or make a scene. Her words cut deep as it is.
Reyna' s lips formed a straight line as she began. "All you people do is make decisions for other people. Decisions that ruin their lives."
"Reyna, I did the best that I could to protect you, you know that." Yara muttered.
"Yeah? Well, it wasn't fucking good enough." Reyna said dismissively, staring at her nonchalantly. Her nostrils were flared as she sighed exasperatedly. "Because I'm still going to die..."
Those words sat in the jar for what felt like forever. Reyna's eyes began to water, as she stared at Yara with a hopeless look. She didn't blink, she just stared. "Alone. Without my husband and without my Paige..." She croaked as the lump in her throat formed. She huffed and looked at the ceiling as she wiped her tears away with her shoulder due to her constraints.
"And if my child can't have one single part of me, then you might as well kill me now...." She said through gritted teeth, her eyes still red and puffy.
Yara spoke again. "Reyna, I'm trying to help the best that I can. This is the only way-"
Reyna scoffed, and rolled her eyes. "The only way?! You're the fucking head Councilwoman!" Reyna shouted. "Fuck Loren, Fuck Dominic, Fuck Osiris, Fuck the public opinion, and do what's right!"
Reyna looked between Yara and her cuffs, putting them up for her to see.
"Save me." She begged desperately, as her lips quivered.
"Protect me. Like you said you would."
Yara sighed as she turned away from her. The public was finally on their side, and if Loren found out about a situation where she let Reyna walk? She couldn't risk another uproar. She just couldn't.
"I can't." She muttered, ashamed to look her in the eye..
Reyna let out a sharp laugh like she expected her to give her that shitty answer. Reyna's voice was low and authoritative as she spoke again, once again dejected and staring at the floor. "Then, you're worthless to me. Get the fuck out of my face."
Yara's heart sank. She didn't want any of this. She didn't want Reyna to hate her. All she wanted was to fix this. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen-"
"Why the fuck are you still standing here?! Get the fuck out!" Reyna screamed over her, her voice bounced off the metal on the walls, earning a slight ring from them..
"Okay." Yara let out a shuddered breath. She couldn't stand to see Reyna this way. And to know that she caused it? It only made her hate herself more.
"Okay...."
Yara muttered shakily as she stumbled to the door. Her hands began to shake slightly as she knocked on the door for the guard to open it. Tears were almost blurring her vision and she kept her head down as she passed the guard. "Thank you, Vance." She managed to say to him clearly, trying to ignore the lump forming in her throat.
She heard the sound of the metal door closing shut and her heels clicked impatiently fast as she walked down the hallway to the entrance. She heard Reyna's screams of frustration reverberating off the door and pouring into the corridor, triggering all of the other crazy inmates to beat on the doors and scream at the top of their lungs.
Yara was desperate to get out as she ran up the staircase and beat on the entrance door three times. "Just a moment." The officer said on the other side. Thankfully, opening the door took over a minute, and Yara quickly swallowed the lump in her throat and swiped her tears and stood up straighter. She couldn't afford to let anyone see how broken she was over this. Over the thought of Reyna facing capital punishment. Over the thought that maybe she could've stopped this. Over the thought she ruined a sweet, young woman's life and her blood is on her hands.
She finally escaped the prison sector and made her way to the safest space around– her 1998 Black Bentley Arnage. She closed the car door shut and sat down inside the car. She took in the silent atmosphere, no opening and closing of metal doors, no crazy prisoners trying to egg on the guards, no one calling her "Councilwoman" or "Ma'am". And then finally-
"Fuck!" She let out a long, deafening scream, as she hit the car horn to muffle her out. All the saddest, anger and grief all came out in one loud scream, and it left her breathless afterwards. She panted heavily and raked her hands through her hair. "Why the fuck did I take this job?" She mumbled.
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a knock on her window. She rolled it down to get a clear view of Officer Bailey. "You just about gave me a heart attack!" She complained sharply. "My apologies, ma'am."
She clenched her jaw at his choice in words. Ma'am. With almost a good few minutes of alone time, mostly filled up with her emotional breakdown, she was right back into it. "What do you need, Bailey?" She asked, with clear annoyance in her voice.
"You told me to escort you to the ritual chambers after meeting with Reyna." He said with a baffled look.
It took a moment for Yara to register what he was saying. "Oh, yeah." She shook her head with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, there's just so much going on-"
"No worries! I know that the Reyna situation has been a lot for you and the council." He reassured her with a smile. "No kidding," She said with a weak laugh, as she got out of her car. "Come on, my truck is just over there." Officer Bailey gestured over to his big, armored truck. They walked side by side as they neared it.
" I just wanted to apologize for what I said there." He spoke, as Yara turned her face towards him.
"I shouldn't pry into what kind of relationship you had with Ashton."
Yara shook her head and a quick shrug. "No, Bailey. It's fine.""It's basically all that the public is talking about nowadays."
"I shouldn't have come at you like that."
But Bailey insisted on apologizing as he opened his car doors for the both of them to get inside. "You just wanted your respect, I get that. And I have no problem giving that to you." He put his hands in midair defensively.
"Really?"
"You don't have... second guesses about me?"
"Should I?" He asked with a shrug as he got in the car after Yara. His keys jingled in his hand as found the one for the ignition.
"So, you ready?" He asked with a small grin.
"Ummm…yeah. Get this big hunk of metal moving. We don't want to be late." She replied half-heartedly, and he barely even noticed.
"Yes, ma'am!" He said brightly, almost earning a slight groan from Yara, but she managed to hold back as they drove out of the parking.