51__Return of nemesis-turned-ally

Damon’s face was pitifully blank as he stared up at the group lined up guiltily in his living room. Kamilla was staring at the floor, the six of the Legion stood protectively around her and Sasha stood beside them, an ice pack clutched against her neck as she glared at her shoes.

“I’m gonna go crazy,” Damon whispered to himself running a hand down his face. “I’m gonna lose my fucking mind…”
Demetrius cringed. “Damon? Are you angry?”
Damon released a disbelieving breath and looked at Demetrius. “Am I angry? Am I *angry*?!” Turning to face Charming who sat beside him on the couch, Damon clutched his shoulder and gave him a shake. “I’m dying, Viktor! Come back *right* now!”
Charming looked at Damon, startled. “A little less violence, please!”
Damon pushed off the sofa and stalked over to them. “Are you guys kids? Whose stupid idea was it?!”

“Mine,” said Kamilla, still looking at the ground.
Damon sighed heavily and looked very close to tears. “Kamilla, I really… really wish you’d stop getting ideas. For the sake of my sanity. Please.”

Kamilla pursed her lips and nodded. “I’ll try to stop my genius brains.”

Damon shook his head slowly. “This isn’t a joke.” He pointed at Sasha. “You could have killed her.”
Sasha squared her shoulders. “N-no…” she croaked hoarsely. “I’m… fine.”
Zen snorted. “Please, Sasha, you can’t even speak!”

“Nearly died out there, Sash,” said Syre, his face stiff from holding back laughter.

“It was fucking TKO,” laughed Xavier and his brothers leaned weakly on each other from laughter, at ease and thinking their King wasn't angry since Kamilla wasn't hurt.

Sasha glared at them, her eyes filling with angry tears. Pushing past Vlad, she stormed over to the door and threw it open so she could leave the room.
“Aw, Sash! Don’t leave!” yelled Ethan, wiping his eyes. “We’re sorry!”

Damon waved a hand at the laughing men. “Can you guys leave now, please? Seth’s probably looking for you!” He nudged them towards the door, one by one. “Go. Go protect the Kingdom. Demetrius, go and cook something.”

The made short, awkward bows to their King as the moved to leave. “Goodbye, King,” they said collectively. “We’re sorry. Forgive us.”
“Bye, my Queen!” called Syre as Damon pushed the laughing group out of the door.
“Good fight, my Queen!” yelled Zen as Damon shut the door after them.

He turned around and with a huge sigh, leaned against the door. “I can’t do this,” he murmured. “Everyone in this castle is determined to drive me mad.”
Kamilla rubbed the toe of her shoe against the floor and peaked up at Damon. He eyed her. “What were you thinking?!”

Kamilla cringed. “I’m sorry! She’s just so annoying, I couldn’t hold back! Besides, I didn’t think I’d do that much damage.”
Damon shook his head. “You’re Viktor’s soulmate! How could you not think you’d do damage?! Don’t you know how strong you are?”
Kamilla bit her lip in thought and shook her head. “No… no. I actually don’t.”

Damon pursed his lips and looked at her like he’d really given up on life. “Okay.” He nodded and waved away the whole matter. “I’m done with this.”
He walked towards his chair, but first stood before Charming and leaned over to jab a finger into his chest. “Viktor! Wake up *right* now!”
Charming blinked. “That’s not… that’s not how it works.”
Damon puckered his lips and ran his tongue across the inside of his cheek. “Well… worth a shot.”
With a sigh, he fell into his chair and rested his chin in his palm. “I never thought I’d miss Viktor.”
Charming narrowed his eyes. “I’m hurt.”
Damon shook his head. “Don’t get me wrong, Charming. I appreciate you, but Viktor knows how to get these rowdy kids in order. They treat me like their *grandfather*!”

Kamilla snuck a look at the door. “Uhm… can I go now?” she asked quietly, feeling as though she was leaving the principal’s office after another fight in the girls’ bathrooms.
Damon gave her a look perfectly fitting of a strict principal. “You may leave. But, Kamilla, *please*…” His eyes softened and he sighed. “Don’t let her make you angry. She’s not worth it.”
Kamilla bit her lip and nodded. She glanced at Charming who smiled at her. She smiled back. “I’m gonna be with Demetrius near the kitchen if you need me, okay?”
Charming nodded. “Okay.”

**********************

After she’d showered and changed, Kamilla walked down to Demetrius’s hangout spot, that being the kitchen. Her feet stopped when the kitchen area came into view and Kamilla looked at the back of Sasha’s head as she sat at the counter.
Taking a deep breath, Kamilla squared her shoulders and walked into the kitchen area.
Ignoring how Sasha jumped, startled at her sudden presence, Kamilla stepped up onto the kitchen platform and walked over to stand across Sasha.

“Where’s Demetrius?” she asked her.

Sasha lowered her gaze and slowly lowered the ice-pack from her neck, setting it on the glossy counter.
“He… went to…” she swallowed painfully. “… stock up the basement with groceries.”

Kamilla watched her swallow painfully again and bit her lip, feeling a sudden strong urge to apologize.
No. Why must she always be like this? Even in high school, other girls always picked fights with her and after beating them to a pulp, Kamilla was always the one feeling bad and apologizing. People just needed to learn to not provoke her!
She clenched her jaw, running her gaze across the bright red streak across Sasha’s neck.
With a sigh, Kamilla spun around and put the stove on, turning the heat on high.
She grabbed a small pot and filled it with water before setting it on the stove.
Sasha’s gaze was heavy on her as she worked, but Kamilla wasn’t fazed. She threw all the ingredients she needed into the pot and let it boil while she looked around for some raw honey.
She set a large mug on the counter beside the stove and turned off the heat before pouring the contents of the pot into the mug. A generous squeeze of honey was then added before Kamilla picked up the mug and set it before Sasha who blinked down at it.

“Drink it all,” said Kamilla. “It’ll help the throat and neck muscle pain.”

Leaving the mug there, Kamilla turned to leave.
“Why would you fight… for Viktor?” Sasha suddenly asked, her voice painfully hoarse.

Kamilla stopped, keeping her back to Sasha. “Why wouldn’t I?” she countered.

A moment of silence followed and Kamila was about to start walking again when Sasha spoke. “You’re… stuck,” she said. “You’re stuck here. You could be… free. From Viktor and… the forced bond. I would be helping… you.”

Kamilla bit her lip, staring at the fridge. Slowly, she turned to face Sasha. “*Helping* me?” She asked. Kamilla scoffed and walking slowly back to face her. She set her palms on the counter and leaned forward. “Sasha. Have you ever felt someone else’s emotions… flow through your body? Or physically felt that they are or aren’t near you? Have you ever physically felt someone else’s pain like your own body was being tortured? Or felt a desire so dark and *powerful*, that you’re helpless to resist it?” Sasha stared silently up at her with wide eyes. “That…” said Kamilla. “…is what Viktor and I’s bond is like. That’s how strong it is. There is no space for me to even *want* to be free anymore. But who knows? Maybe one day I will be, and so will Viktor. But until that day arrives, until I *let it* arrive… I will remain his Queen and he is still my King. And no matter what you do, you won’t change that.” She jerked her chin towards the mug. “Drink.”

Sasha slowly lowered her wide-eyed gaze to the mug and let her hands wrap around it to lift it to her mouth.
Kamilla watched her as Sasha took one painful sip of the hot drink. She looked up at Kamilla for a second. “Thanks,” she whispered.

Not responding, Kamilla turned and left the kitchen, the thought that, one day, she and Viktor could be separated killing her appetite.

She was walking through the hallway toward Damon’s living room when suddenly, a dark energy obstructed her path.
Kamilla jumped back with a gasp, staring wide-eyed at the bizarre sight.
She was about to scream, when a person came tumbling out of the haze.

Kamilla blinked. “Rena?!”

The sorceress gasped for air as she tossed off her black hood and swayed unsteadily from side to side. Kamilla darted forward to catch her as Rena finally collapsed in her arms.
Kamilla stared down at her in shock. “Rena? Rena?!”

The woman’s eyes were open, but stared blankly up at Kamilla. Glancing up towards Damon’s office, Kamilla began to shout. “Damon?! Charming!”

She glanced down at Rena again and was horrified to see the woman’s eyes roll back as her lids slowly fell closed.