The Black Rule, prologue
Sirius had wanted to say sorry, but James had spoken first and it was as thought he couldn't understand the words, but they burned like sun and ice, and Sirius had just stumbled out, ignoring his angry injunctions to "stay right here and listen to the fucking truth."
Right. The truth.
The forest was welcoming and soothing, he knew it almost by heart, or did he? He wanted to get lost this time. He wanted to get lost, and lose what he was, what he'd done…"the fucking truth", like James had said.
He heard a soothing sound in the moonlight and recognised vaguely the lure of the Carnasse Tree, too far to really affect him, but he didn't turn away. He didn't want to die not really, but he was so numb. How to be so numb and still hurt so much. James words ran in his veins like a violent doloris, blinding his mind, and he could still se the hurt in Remus' eyes…those eyes…Oh God…
The sting of the tree's smallest thorn muddled up his mind as they drew long ripplets of blood down his ankles, the vines climbing up his body. Funny that, he remembered things now, sunny laughter through amber eyes, the weight of James' arm…There was something important. But hell if he could…Carnnasse tree, lethal…drugs its victims…gee ya think? Oh hell if he…cared…
The stayed there, pressed against each other, fear and hunger marring their pale, starved off faces, while the splendid funeral unrolled before them. The chantings raised high, but they were all all too aware of the creatures waiting out in the hills. The last king was dead. They were all dead, werewolf cattle before the day was out. In the high temple, the oracle sent the most magical of begging to the sky, dancing heart broken in front of the veil of night.
"Save us oh gods, save us before this endless night!"
And, slowly, dark crimson vines started extending from the ruined black veil, murmurs of the dead beyond rising high, so high into the night sky.
"The king is dead. Long live the king. The king is dead. Long live the king. The king is dead. Long live the king…"
And on the floor the most perfect body was left, the palest skin, the silkiest hair, and dark storm blue eyes that opened to life once again.
Long live the king.