Three candles strategically placed around her room, created the illusion of light in her otherwise dark room. Raven sat at her vanity mirror, brushing her waist-length black hair. The way the light caught the shine of her hair created the illusion of black onyx winking at the weary intruder.
"Ray..." A familiar voice rang from the darkened door way. Raven turned her curious blue eyes from her own reflection. She glimpsed at the pale frame of her best friend (and most likely intended), Prince Frank. He limped closer to her bed and collapsed on top of her satin black covers.
"Frankie...you know you can't be in here this late..." Raven began to reproach her best friend, standing up, tying her rose pink robe. She picked up a candle and walked over to her friend. As she got closer, her eyes narrowed. The light from her candle showed the darkening bruises on her friend's pale body.
He was absolutely battered. His otherwise mischievous green eyes were darkening with bruised skin, while his sensual red lips puffed and crusted with blood. His thighs were bruised and bloody. His dark, curly hair began to mat with blood, and his breathing was ragged. She gasped and almost dropped the candle in her pale long hand.
"Not again Frankie..." She said, setting the candle on her nightstand. She sat on the edge of the bed, and gently pulled his head into her lap. He strained to wrap his arms around her waist and began to sob into her lap. Raven began to hum Translyvanian lullabies. "This needs to stop Frank." She said seriously, as he began to slowly gain back his strength.
"How? I can't tell Mummy..." Frank began. He sat up slowly and carefully and looked into her pale face.
"Well you can't let your father keep using you as a punching bag either. Frankie, you know that I'm always going to be there for you...no matter what happens." She got up slowly, so the bed wouldn't shift in such a way as to make Frank cringe in pain. She approached her nightstand and opened a drawer, filled with medical supplies. She pulled out her small basket and filled it with supplies that she would need.
"Hold still..." She said as she began to apply bruise ointment on his body, even in pain he purred in pleasure. She smiled slightly and kissed his cheek. "Is that somewhat better?"
"Much..." Frank said languorously. Raven giggled and began to wipe the blood off of him. When she was done, he looked much like his usual sixteen year old self. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him.
"Thank you Raven...I wanted to let Riff and Magenta get some sleep tonight..." Frank said in gratitude, making Raven giggle. She handed him her brush and sat back at her vanity mirror. He sat behind her and began to stroke her hair, while staring in longing at himself.
"Right...because they're going to 'sleep'..." Raven said, making air quotes around 'sleep'. "So...has your mother said anything else about...you know..." She said, her pale face going paler.
"Yes...I know both my parents and your parents are talking seriously about it as we speak..." Frank said with a sigh. "I don't think it's fair to arrange a-"
"Sh! Don't say it out loud...It's not you Frankie...it's the ideas that frightens me." Raven said, spinning around to face him.
"Say what?" Frank said with an impish grin. Raven looked at him in warning. "Oh you mean...marriage?" Raven cringed.
"That word." She said in embarrassment. "I don't want to be married...even to be Queen of Transsexual." She said quietly. Her ears perked up at the sound of footsteps near her door. She quickly pushed Frank under her bed and re-tied her robe as she opened the door.
"Yes?" She said sweetly. She had come face to face with the King and Queen, as well as her parents behind them. Queen Rachael was the picture of lovely. She and her son shared the same fair skin and green eyes. Her long blonde hair was braided into a long braid and her crown made with the finest Translyvanian emeralds winked at her. Her green robe covered a slender body, covered with a bustier made of fine green silk. Her smile was radiant as her eyes took in the bedroom behind the young woman in front of her. Rachael eyes caught a glint of Frank's heel as it scrambled to catch up with the rest of him under the bed. King Hecticus was the definition of handsome. His black hair was cropped and curled around his face. His black eyes were wrinkled with crow's feet but that made him more distinguished. His mouth was in a false smile, he despised Raven because she knew his horrid secret, but that didn't stop him from lusting after her.
"Fabulous news my dearest..." Rachael drawled in her accent as she walked into Raven's room. Raven followed and smiled.
"Yes, extremely good news..." Raven's father Damien Desontos replied as he entered the room behind the King. While Raven was the spitting image of her mother, with the exception of her blue eyes, she had her father's lust for knowledge. Raven's mother, Serenity Desontos was her namesake. Very calm.
"You and our dearest son are to be married!" Rachael exclaimed excitedly. She was thrilled to be inheriting a daughter.
"Upon Rachael's death, of course. Which won't happen for a great while." Hecticus said with a grim intervention. Rachael blew this off.
"Of course the betrothal bonding ceremony will have to be arranged...In a week's time, you two shall be bonded in the eyes of our Goddess, making it as good as a marriage." Rachael said with a smile.
"Without the consummation of course." Hecticus interrupted again. Rachael waved this off.
"Raven is of good stock Hecticus...I know that neither of them will do anything that could jeopardize their friendship. But we shall tell Frankie tomorrow...I'm sure he's exhausted. Good night Raven." Rachael bowed slightly, showing the respect owed to the next ruler of the planet. The adults all said their various farewells.
"Good night." Hecticus said coldly, with a glimmer of lust as he followed his wife out.
"Good night my dear queen in the making." Damien said with a grin of pride.
Serenity simply kissed her daughter on her forehead and smiled at her knowingly as she left the bedroom. "My princess..."
As the door shut, Raven locked it and collapsed on her bed with a gasp of relief.
"Are they gone?" She heard Frank call from under the bed.
"Yes." Raven said, with the same attitude as one would have when they are told they must marry their best friend. "Yes, they're gone now."