Disclaimer: I do not own Hellboy or any of its characters. I love all of it, but I don't own it. I do own the lovely Miss Pandora.
Author's Note: This story is dedicated to Isabella, a.k.a.- Pandora from H U N T E R S. That doesn't mean you guys can't enjoy too. Rate and Review please :)
Isabella Moore tapped her fingers on the table annoyed at the very theory of the auction. What were people thinking? Everything in the room belonged in a museum. Instead, it was going off to private collectors. How was that fair? How was that even remotely right? So far she had been able to gain only three out of the many pieces. That didn't mean she wasn't going to give up though. She was far too stubborn for that. She ignored the dirty looks she kept getting from all the rich assistants and representatives and kept on her own personal work. She was going to get as many items as she could.
"Now for our next item! The Royal crown of Bethmora. The lost piece of a long lost culture." At least he had gotten the culture right. The man had already made enough mistakes throughout the evening that Pandora had had to correct. The less she had to correct him, the happier she was.
"Lost?" It seemed as if we all turned in unison. Time slowed. There he was. Tall. Obviously dangerous. She could tell just by looking at him. Some part of her mind was recognizing everything about him. Clothes, of an ancient styling. One from Bethmora. Hus features, those of the elves. Not the frilly elves of modern stories, but the ones of her research. From the old days. Her breath caught in her throat. He had come from that line. It wasn't dead as she had believed. And he looked proud….and very pissed. Not that she could honestly blame him. "Not at all, very much alive." He had been walking the whole time. He had some sort of box he was carrying on his back and he was now standing before the crown piece. The piece I had been bound and determined to preserve just moments before.
"Sir, please identify yourself. You can't just-" The auctioneer was suddenly cut off by the new arrival.
"I am Prince Nuada, Silverlance, son of King Balor. And I am here sir, to reclaim what is rightfully mine."
"How dare you!" Isabella yelled angrily charging forward even as the man picked up the crown piece. "How dare you claim Prince Nuada's name? He had honor. What are you? Coming in here assuming you can take what was given to us humans by King Balor himself. Most people may have forgotten that part of history, but I have not. And I will not stand by and just let you disrespect his memory in this manner."
Nuada backhanded Isabella. She spun around and fell to her knees dazed and confused. She vaguely heard the auctioneer yell for security. Then the doors being torn down. People screaming and moving. Her mind was slowly gathering back together. Nuada had set the box down. On its front was the Royal War Seal. "Dear God…" Isabella whispered the prayer softly. "This is outrageous! Please, take whatever you want, but leave us alone! Sir, I demand-"
Isabella watched in horror as Nuada took out something she had seen once in the lore books recognized as a living root and threw it at the Auctioneer. It latched onto the man's face and suffocated him. "Be quiet."
"You killed him." Even as the other guests screamed, Isabelli surged up ignoring the feeling of wooziness that tried to consume her. "You didn't have to kill him!"
Nuada grabbed Isabella's shoulder and spun her around until he had her pressed against him. Isabella reached up and grabbed Nuada's arm trying to pull away. He was strong…far too strong. "Mr. Wink!" Nuada roared over the screams. It was then that Isabella saw the large troll. It threw something at Nuada and he wrapped Isabella tightly in the thing, a robe, and threw her over his shoulder. "Sit down! Proud, empty, hollow things that you are! Let this remind you why you once feared the dark."
Nuada leaned down still holding Isabella and she heard screeching. There was screaming and cries of pain. What was happening? Isabella panicked, twisting trying to tear her arms free and escape. She was completely trapped though. Then Nuada was walking even amongst the screams. He ignored them all as he carried his prisoner. He exited the room with Mr. Wink and made sure that none of the humans could follow him. They were all already dead anyway.
"What are you?" Nuada asked surveying the girl calmly. By all appearances she was human. He didn't believe it for a moment. For one, she looked natural. There was something about her that reminded one of the Earth. A presence that was beautiful and ethereal. He pushed those thoughts aside and continued staring at her hard, waiting for an answer.
"I am very, very human." Her voice wasn't as shaky as he would have expected. After all she was tied to a chair.
Nuada stood up slowly and began circling the chair. "Are you certain that that is the answer you wish to give me? Because I do not believe you. Not for a moment."
"Well then I guess that neither of us believes the other." She said sticking her chin up proudly. Nuada laughed at her defiance. "Who are you really? I know that you're of the Elven blood line. I recognize your people from the old art renderings."
"I am Prince Nuada. Returned after all these years to set right the wrongs of the human race."
"What do you plan on doing? The forest is your domain. Remind the humans of that. That is right I will admit. But you cannot take the cities. Those belong to us. If you really are Prince than you know well your father is still King. He would not stand for this."
"That doesn't matter!" Nuada snapped, his golden-amber-yellow eyes flashing at the young woman. "My father will not do what is necessary, therefore I will."
"You're going to kill everyone aren't you?" The young woman asked. Her bright blue eyes were wide and filled with horror.
"Not everyone…just the humans."
