Broken

A Last Exile fan fiction

By Tasogare no Hime

Summary: AU, one shot, dark fic. After Euris' death Sophia was mostly raised by Marius. What if the emperor hadn't allowed that?

Warnings: Violence, Crazy!Sophia.

Disclaimer: I do not own Last Exile, no money is being made from this use.

Sophia had been first officer of the infamous Silvana for nearly three weeks now. It had taken years of work, and everything she had to convince her father to send her as his spy aboard the hated rogue ship. He expected her to send him all the information about the ship, its crew, and especially its captain that she could gather. Her father could go to hell for all she cared. He thought she was in the dark, but she knew all about the other plans he had, how he had taken that young nobleman under his wing, grooming the disgusting wretch to be the heir he wanted. How he planed to force her into marriage so she would spend the rest of her life a prisoner in the palace, a powerless broodmare. There would be no marriage for Princess Sophia however, she would probably be dead by morning once the rest of the crew found out. It didn't matter. She could finally carry out her plan. All those years of work, putting up her father's hellish punishments, it was all finally paying off. Nothing else mattered but succeeding in her personal mission tonight.

She smiled in the dark as she slipped the long silk, and lace nightgown over her head. It had belonged to Euris, it was something he would recognize. How could he not after all the nights sneaking in and out of her room when he was visiting the palace? She sat calmly in front of the mirror on her desk brushing out her long hair. "It's time now, I'm sorry you had to wait so long. Now we can finally make him suffer as much as we have, right Euris?" Sophia smiled into the mirror, Euris smiled back.

Alex sat in his desk chair waiting, Anatole's little puppet was up to something. She had come in earlier to make her evening report and had, as usual quietly berated him for his drinking. There had been however something in her eyes, almost a look of triumph. He expected she had wanted him to get drunk enough that she could go through his desk. As the door opened, he turned ready to confront her about whatever she was up to only to stop, staring in shock. She was standing there in an all too familiar nightgown, with her hair down, and smiling softly. He was so in shock at the sight he never noticed when she locked the door behind her, and almost didn't stop the knife that suddenly came down aiming straight for his heart.

In the struggle that followed the knife was lost somewhere and they both toppled to the floor. She was surprisingly strong for her frame, breaking away from him she grabbed the decanter that had fallen to the floor when they had knocked over the table and tried to hit him with it. He managed to knock it out of her hand and it went flying to shatter against the wall. "Is this what he sent you for?" Alex growled out as he finally pinned her to the floor. Breathing heavily, they were both covered in cuts and bruises from the fight though fortunately no one had been stabbed.

"This has nothing to do with him!" She shouted trying free one of her legs, but he was too heavy for her.

"Then why? Surely Marius wouldn't..."

She started to laugh and cry at the same time. "Marius? What does that useless old fool have to do with anything?"

"Then what the hell are you..."

"She hates you, you know." Sophia said softly as she smiled sweetly up at him. "I know because she came back to me,because she loves me,...the only one who loves me...After you tried to take her away, after you killed her." Alex stared down at her in shock.

A knock came from outside. "Captain? Are you all right? We heard something..an.."

"Everything's fine." Alex said automatically not moving.

"But, we heard..."

"I said everything is fine!"

"Er...Yes sir..."

Alex listened as the foot steps faded. Still staring at Sophia, he couldn't turn away from her eyes. With a sinking feeling he asked the question he already knew the answer to. "Who are you talking about?"

"Ha! Of course you'd pretend you don't know!" Her anger suddenly gone, and now looking meek she started to shake. "I was all alone, because you took her away, and Marius left, went to the academy and never came back unless he had to. Father would get so angry when I cried, or if I did something wrong. Sometimes he would hit me but usually he would lock me in the tower, sometimes for days, and none of the servants would even talk to me. But that was ok, because Euris came back and stayed with me... She used to tell me you would come and save us. That we would go somewhere far away and be a family." Alex let her go, sitting on the floor beside her, still in shock. Sophia curled up into a ball on her side hugging herself. "We waited for you. We waited for so long, and you never came..."

"I never knew..." He heard himself say the words in a hollow voice. He'd thought Marius was taking care of her! "You never bothered to ask did you?" Came the bitter accusing thought. Did Marius even know? Alex wondered what he was going to do. He couldn't leave her as first officer now, not like this, and he sure as hell wasn't going to send her back to her father. At a loss, and wracked with guilt knowing he was partly responsible for Sophia's current condition he watched her for a while. He wondered where the knife had gone he couldn't see it lying around anywhere when he looked. He told himself he should call the medics, that he should have her confined somewhere and let them deal with it. Instead he laid down beside her watching her for a while. She was mumbling to herself. "It's ok. I'm here.. I won't let him hurt you anymore." Finally knowing it was probably a bad idea he sighed and reached for Sophia's hand. "Euris?"

Sophia pulled back curling into a tight ball, she clapped her hand over her ears. "No! No, you leave her alone! Don't you talk to her! I'm not going to let you hurt her again!"

"Euris, I'm sorry, I didn't know... Honestly, I don't know what I would have done even if I did.. Sophia is... She's safe now. I promise, I'll protect her..."

Sophia sat up and scooted away from him backing against the wall. "Shut up! Shutupshutupshutup!"

He got up and followed kneeling in front of her. "She won't have to go back to the palace. She can stay as long as wants." Alex said quietly getting as close as he dared being careful not to touch the girl. "She'd never survive if she went back." He added to himself. He swallowed feeling nauseous. Sophia had gone quiet holding herself again, rocking back and forth slowly. "I'll protect her." He repeated quietly. "And take care of her. So.." He paused watching Sophia carefully, feeling even more sick. "So,... You can go rest now.."

"NOO!" Sophia screamed and came at him hitting him with her fist, but she was too drained now for there to be any real strength behind it. "NO! Don't you dare! Don't take her away from me again!" She started sobbing. "Please, don't take her away from me again!" She fell against him shaken by her sobs.

He tentatively wrapped his arms around her, this was the first reminder he'd had in years that he was not the only one who had lost Euris that day. That he wasn't the only one who loved her. He held the girl awkwardly until she cried herself to sleep. Aching just about everywhere he carried her over to the sofa and gently laid her down. Looking around the trashed room, he sighed. He walked over and pulled out his bunk, he's never used it before, but sometimes remembered to change the sheets and air it out. It wouldn't do for the captain to have mice living in his mattress. After pulling the sheets and blanket down he carried Sophia over to the bed, and covered her up. After some searching he found the knife under a cabinet, he put it in the bottom drawer of his desk, and after locking it hid the key.

He got up and unlocked the door. Looking out into the hall he saw Wina passing quietly as she could, she jumped when he called her. "Wina. I need you to go down to the infirmary, and send someone up here. I'd appreciate it if you were quiet about it." Wina saluted and left quickly, wisely deciding not to comment on the captain's appearance. Going back inside and shutting the door behind him Alex began to clean while he waited. He didn't know what would happen when the medic got there, or when Sophia woke, or what to do about anything afterward. He did know however that if he had the chance the emperor would be joining the maestro in hell.

AN: I don't even know where that came from.