I watch him in the darkness, and to my eyes he seems to glow with the light of the sea the way my great-grandfather's study did the night I first laid eyes upon him.

These eyes—these ravaged eyes—still burn. At night when I cannot sleep the fire of my pain and soul spreads to my thoughts, and my fevered brain can picture nothing but the demise of those who seek to thwart me, the memories of those icy eyes cools me.

The owner of those eyes understands me. He will be with me when the time comes to strike.

We are alike, he and I. We both know what it is to be shunned by inferiors—those more ignorant, less clear-minded, more ridiculously over-moralistic—than ourselves. We both come from ancient families of considerable power. We are both avatars of nature's deadliest attributes: I fire, he water—disparate elements, but in our hands seamless partners. And both of us are undeniably tenacious.

It's unusual for me to hold another in such high praise, I realize. Yet even though he is younger and would be slightly weaker if not for the wounds that still plague me (though not for long) I respect him. He is what I was several years ago: completely self-assured, prodigiously talented, the world at his feet. It pains me, but also gives me hope. And hope is all I have to strengthen me, until Venetia's apprentice completes her first commission.

So in the darkness I watch him, satisfied behind the emotionless mask that this precious aquamarine belongs to me and my family alone, imagining the day all blood traitors are permanently eliminated and the rightful Children of the Red King are in power once more

… and I plot his eventual fall from grace.

For upon the utmost pinnacle of power, there is only room for one throne.

a/n

It's so short. (glares at Word document as if it's to blame)

Just so you all know, I wasn't implying anything here. Read into it anything you like, it's fine with me… you gutter-brained lunatics. Rest assured that was meant in the politest sense.

Since nobody seems to know what 'reviewing intelligently' entails, just be specific in what you liked and didn't like and why, don't be unnecessarily bitchy and you'll be just fine. Feel free to add any constructive criticism. Don't bother flaming; I have plenty of my own. (flicks lighter menacingly)