The bell rang loudly over the rooms making the echo resound in the kitchen. Ignifex was just finishing her plate of perfect scrambled eggs when the bothering sound made way into her head. She looked at the shadow looming behind her and sighed.
"I should make rules for my bargains." she said leaning back on her chair "Like, proclaim that from 8 am to 2 pm I will arrange love bargains. From 3pm to 6 pm I will make revenge bargains" she laughed at the way she talked to Shade as if she were a long friend of hers.
She stood from the table walking in front of the exit door, waiting for Shade to make sure her dress was unruffled and stunning as always. The golden ring vibrated on her finger, its power wanting to come out and seal any bargain whose fool was on the other side of the door. That fool stood like the arrogant he was, yet, there was misery and desperation marked around his eyes.
Ignifex smiled brighter than ever, for what myths call the Gentle Lady was a serpent demon, a horrible creature. She opened the door and Leonidas Triskelion stood in awe.
"Well, for once I see a handsome man in my floor" she flirted
Leonidas coughed in anxiety, the scene was something Ignifex enjoyed to no end. She sat in her cushioned chair with details of golden leaf, a rich thing that once was a symbol of power to the once king.
"Speak" she commanded.
He staggered on his own word, the voice coming slow and silent.
"My wife…she can't" he murmured
Ignifex stood from her place and approached the young man. Yes, she was of a good height and beautiful than any creature, yet, her eyes were red and catlike. She stared at Leonidas and gave him a warm smile.
"I don't bite"
He swallowed loudly only causing her to laugh.
"Speak free, the faster and louder you talk, the sooner your wife will get what she wants. Easy" she said throwing her hands in the air.
"My wife is delicate. We want children with all of our might, we ache for them. We've tried all there is, from herbals to hermetics. They all say she won't make it, that she wasn't meant to bare children.'" He said softly. "But without children my namesake will die, and surely all of us from heartbreak."
Ignifex tried to be compassionate, tried not to smirk. He knew his cruel intentions and he would give in to what he wanted, but not without taken something from him.
"Why not getting another wife? That would be easier" she said smirking devilish to him.
He stared in disagreement. "She is the one I love. The one I care for. No other woman will change that, no matter how many children she can have, my dear Thisbe will always by my side." He defended
She definitely admired his will to protect his dearest wife, and he would bring him joy.
"I will make you a bargain" said she walking back to the polished throne. "Thisbe will be pregnant in the moment you kiss my ring, not one children she will bear for your namesake. But two."
Leonidas let out a sigh and for once he let himself calm down. He adored the idea of having two children, it would make his family perfect and bigger.
"Two young beautiful males to keep the Triskelion namesake. So, I would tell dear Thisbe to be strong, for men and particularly very rough." she said smiling through the whole speech, but the smile turned evil with the rest of the bargain. "But, to fulfill the bargain I need something in return. Once your sons turn 20 years old, one of them will belong to me. I shall marry your son."
The thoughts turned to ash as soon as she said that, he thought the punishment would land on him, and only him.
"If you ever decide to hide them, or not give me what I demanded. I will hunt you down. And i will make the Triskelion namesake die." She gloated through the whole sentence, enjoying every word coming out of her mouth.
"Look at it this way. Your son will be in my castle, in my bed, in my service. You know what" said Ignifex with a joyous voice "I'm even going to let you pick which one you will give me. So, deal?"
Leonidas didn't even need to think, anything to keep the Triskelion going, to keep Thisbe.
"Yes"
She clapped her hands in hypocrisy and lifted her right hand, the ring shinning in great splendor.
"Kiss my ring and the bargain shall be sealed." She commanded.
He reached for her hand and bowed greatly before kissing the petals of the rose on the ring.
"See you in another 20 years" said Ignifex before leaving through the door once more. The shadow moved closely to her, she could even hear the little whispers. "Another?"
"Well, it was getting a little boring in here with just you"
Like that she was gone, and in the room was left Leonidas with a plan forming in his mind, a great plan. One in which his son would be the great savior of Arcadia.
