Chapter 4 | Cousins

                                    

                                          
"Wait up!" Sera called out as she quickly caught up to Madison. Her cheerful laughter echoed down the empty halls, grating on Madison's nerves. "Jesusssss, can you slow down."
"You are insufferable," Madison said, not slowing down her brisk pace.
"Excuse me, but you are soooo lucky I stepped in when I did," the brunette placed her hands on her hips amongst the deserted hallways, forcing Madison to stop in her tracks. "Talk about giving the poor guy a hard time, you and your emotions."
Madison's frustration boiled over. "I am sick to death of covering for you!" Her voice raised, a scolding tone evident, "every time he comes here, you act like a lovesick idiot. You, are rarely at these meetings, out galivanting around, provoking Ezra. As punishment for all this, I have to sit there like you, trying my best not to condone a war that I disagree with!"
Sera exhaled, "did you do that thing with your face again and then purse your lips because it gives you these crow wrinkles that are so not healthy for your skin, and-"
Madison couldn't take it anymore. "You're unbelievable," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. With a huff, she turned and walked off towards the northern wing, leaving a bewildered Sera behind. 
Sera briskly kept up with her, trying to contain her laughter.
"This is not some funny quim Seraphina," it was clear her tolerance was wearing thin from her condescending tone and continued pursed lips.
Sera rolled her eyes, "Mads, look- I have always agreed with Mama on this. I agree with Skarsgard and the council as well.  I know it may not seem like it, but he's making the right decisions for our world."
"He is dangerous," she stared sceptically at Sera as she slowed down a pace, "the power that deludes his head, that obnoxious idiot is on the forefront with the academies making decisions that are hurting our way of life!"
"You're overreacting, Mads," Sera tried to soothe her cousin. "The council and the academies are all working together to bring an end to the war. Skarsgard is just a part of that effort. He's not doing anything to hurt us or our way of life, it's not like that dow-"
"-Jesus Christ, go on, tell me how it's not like that down there! That it's so different, creeping around Allegiant, perving on those soldiers!"
Sera halted, took a massive step back, and raised her hands. "Woah, okay, can you breathe, please? Do you want some ice cream? Soufflé would have been fab, but now Jack's dead and all."
"How can you be so nonchalant about all this? Saying 'oh, Jack's dead' and offering ice cream, seriously, what's wrong with you?" Madison mimicked the carefree brunette. 
"Soufflé isn't ice cream."
"Seriously!" Madison screeched, "what is wrong with you!"
"What? It's not ice cream." Sera shrugged, "if your going to mimic me, just get it right at least."
"You are unbelievable!"
"Mads," Sera placed her hands on Madison's shoulders, trying to calm her down as she saw her cheeks turn red with anger.
"No!" Madison pulled away from Sera's touch, "your life is far more important than parading around down there. You're the Princess of the two worlds, the last heir after your mother. You need to start taking your safety more seriously."
"Maddssss," the brunette whined, her eyes rolling at her cousin's behavior as she tried to calm her down. Yet the woman had no bar of it, and Sera held up her hand, wriggling her fingers in front of Madison's scrunched face.