Prolouge

Shadow stood at the edge of the balcony, anxiously awaiting the arrival of one of his dearest friends. She would be here soon. Her parents had contacted his father only minutes earlier to inform them of their distance. They were only minutes away, and Shadow could hardly contain his excitement.

Sure, he had spent almost all of his nearly thousand years of his immortal life with Sapphirah, but what good friend wouldn't? Just yesterday he remembered sharing with her one of the most memorable dates that they had been on. Her forehead against his. The feel of her hand as it stroked his cheek. So softly had her lips caressed his…

It had been his first kiss, and he was enthralled.

Shadow leant against the railing staring almost dreamily across the horizon. Yes, he was in love, and he didn't know how to cure himself from this overwhelming sickness. Love! It had infiltrated his soul and taken advantage of his fragile heart. Who would have ever guessed that the stone cold, lonesome, soundless Prince would have ever found love…?

Shadow looked up, his eyes scanning wildly over the horizon. He had heard the hooves of horses not far from where he waited. And they were in full gallop. He edged closer to the railing and peered over the green hills. His heart leapt happily at the sight of three dark specs racing towards the palace on horseback.

The specs drew nearer to the palace gates, transforming into three cloaked and hooded figures, each mounted upon a dark haired stallion. The Prince's eyes lit up brightly as Sapphirah dismounted from her horse and raced to the edge of the gates, peering lovingly back up at him.

The King, with the Queen at his side, strode down the marble steps leading from the door and gave a hand signal to his guards. They nodded and opened the gates allowing the three entrance into the courtyard. He gently embraced one of the tallest who had thrown back her hood revealing a head of seemingly flaming, dark brown hair. The embrace was a bit tense, and the woman seemed to pull back long before the King had wanted to. But he seemed to respect this and kept his distance as he greeted her husband beside her.

The smallest, Sapphirah, had raced past the King to Shadow who had been waiting for her with open arms at the door.

She gently pecked the Prince's cheek and stared longingly into his golden eyes. "It was so kind of your father to invite us," She whispered, breathlessly. She and her parents were weary from the long ride they had taken from the southern realm up into the north.

The Prince's pale white hands gently clasped her shoulders. "I am very glad that he did. Come, the servants have prepared for us this evening's meal, they await our presence at the table before they are to serve us. Frankly, I do not wish to keep them waiting long." Sapphirah laughed at his attempt at a joke, and graciously accepted his out stretched arm as he led her inside to the dining hall.

He seated her comfortably beside him as they awaited for his father and mother to bring their guests into the room for dinner. They talked quietly as the said four entered and seated themselves at the table. The servants stood alert, prepared to act at the King's command.

King Zephyr stood to address the occupants of the room, a broad smile gracing his usual stern features. "It has been a long time since we have all seen one another, and I would like to take the time to thank our guests for their company here in the palace tonight. We hope that everything is to your liking."

There was unnatural tense feeling in the air as silence penetrated the usual lively attitude of the palace and its occupants. The King couldn't help but notice this. He knew why of course, but still, the silence had bothered him, even if he wouldn't admit it.

Zephyr looked around the table nervously, his hand resting gingerly atop of his wife's on the table. She gave him a reassuring glance and he continued. "This evening's meal will now be served. Please inform the maids if something isn't to your liking. They will inform the cooks and have your meal prepared again for you." He sat down in his chair and nodded to the servants who left through the kitchen doors and set to work.

For a few precious minutes the palace was alive, bustling with its usual activity as servants and maids brought out plates and dishes filled with food of the desired choice of those waiting at the table. Each bite was a sweet, savory, intoxicating spell.

Zephyr spoke quietly with his wife, as did the other man with his wife, Corra. She hadn't touched her plate since it had been brought to her and had remained relatively silent throughout the lapse of time that they had been in the palace. She watched Prince Shadow converse happily with her daughter.

Sapphirah dipped her finger into her creamy chocolate pudding and set it playfully atop Shadow's nose. He was surprised, but soon caught a familiar glint of mischievousness in his eye, a sign of danger to those around him when he was but a child. He dipped his hand into his water and splashed Sapphirah with the water droplets that he had collected onto his fingertips. They laughed softly together and resumed devouring their meal.

Corra looked to her husband, Inferno, and muttered distastefully, "Young love is sickening."

Inferno raised an eyebrow, resisting the urge to laugh, but presumably concentrated on finishing what was on his plate.

Shadow gently stroked Sapphirah's hand with his thumb and whispered softly into her ear, "I will be back shortly, I have something I'd like to give you."

He stood and bowed respectively to his father, swiftly exiting the dining hall to his room up the stairs into the royal wing. Corra watched him leave and then beckoned her daughter over to her. The King smiled at her but otherwise paid her no mind and continued his conversation with his wife.

Sapphirah set her fork on the side of her plate and stood from her seat. She walked quickly over to her mother and knelt beside her. "Yes, mother? Is there something you need?"

Corra hushed her daughter and scanned the room, satisfied to find that no one was watching them. She lowered her gaze onto her daughter's face, and their eyes became unusually attracted. Corra's eyes gleamed a soft gold, as did Sapphirah's. Corra muttered something unintelligible under her breath.

Sapphirah smiled wickedly to her mother. "Is it time? Now?" She whispered. Corra stroked a lock of her daughter's auburn hair and twisted it gently in her fingers. "Yes my child, it is time, but you must be quick." Sapphirah nodded quickly to her mother. "Yes, I understand."

Her daughter then stood and walked back to her seat and sat stiffly, wearily. Her gaze fell onto the table, looking to Shadow's glass of water.

She turned away, slyly, and looked to both sides, straight across, behind her.

No one was watching. She wouldn't be caught.

In one fluid movement, Sapphirah's reached across the table and took Shadow's drink from the table and placed it in her lap, emptying the contents of small velvet pouch into his water. The red dust vanished almost instantly, blending in with the translucent color of the water.

She placed it back on the table just as Shadow walked back into the room, holding a small narrow box in front of him.

Shadow saw her and smiled as he sat back down beside her. She smiled back at him, sadistically. He didn't seem to notice the difference in her sudden change of emotion.

He turned to her and gently took her hands in his. "I have something for you," he said nervously. "I hope you like it..." Sapphirah only smiled at him and placed her hand gently on his cheek. He blushed and smiled back up at her.

He looked to the table, and in hopes of calming the frantic beating of his heart, took his water, lifted the glass to his lips and drank.

As he set his glass back down upon the table, he frowned at the taste. It hadn't had such a bitter, sour flavor before. He pushed the thought aside and turned back to Sapphirah, once again clasping her hands in his.

"I-

Shadow frowned again and placed his hand to his throat. Something was not right.

Suddenly, the millenian prince clutched his throat and struggled for breath. What was happening? Why could he not breathe?

The King looked up and saw this of his son, his eyebrows knitted in concern. He turned immediately to the guards nearest him. "Help my son, what ails him?!" He demanded, standing abruptly to his feet.

Shadow coughed desperately attempting to breathe. He felt suddenly faint and fell from his seat. Sapphirah shoved the guards away from him as they rushed forward and laid him gently on the ground supporting him in her arms.

She lowered her head down beside his. Her breath tickled his ear. "Forgive me...my love..."

Shadow's eyes widened and craned his neck so that he could look up at her. His eyes searched hers frantically as his chest rose and fell heavily, trembling as the rest of his body.

"S-Sapphirah..." His voice was hoarse, confused, and his hand trembled as it touched her cheek. "Why...Why have you done this to me...?"

Sapphirah laughed softly and stroked his hair. "You are so vulnerable...my love..." Shadow struggled to sit up, yet she pushed him down further. She laid almost on top of the dying Prince.

Emerald had rushed immediately to the healing halls of the palace to find a doctor for her only child. She and Zephyr were frightened to death for their son. The occupants of the room were all on their feet, but all too scared, more or less shocked to move and cause the damage already done to the prince to multiply.

Sapphirah, out of curiosity, took the box from the prince's hand which now trembled as hers brushed against his fingertips. He tried to glare at her, but it turned into something more of a wince. She brushed her hand across the silver letters that spelt her name and opened the box, feigning a gasp.

"How beautiful!" She exclaimed, sickly sweet. She lifted a small golden diamond hanging from a silver chain. identical to the one the prince wore. She read the card inside the box, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "So you know that you'll always be mine." She smiled down on him as he coughed and twisted. "How thoughtful, even though it means nothing now...I guess, I'll wear it anyways, in remembrance of you, my love." She undid the silver clasp and wore the diamond around her neck, and drew her finger across the prince's jaw.

Shadow, who's head now lay numbly on the cold stone of the palace floor, flinched from Sapphirah's touch, struggling to free himself from her grasp. He looked at her, heartbroken, confused.

"Sapphirah...I love you...I-

Sapphirah stroked his pale cheek and put her nose gently to his. "I know...that's why this was so easy." She kissed him harshly and didn't pull back to let him breathe as he lay struggling beneath her. He grasped the small white arms that held him, thrashing in attempt to free himself. This only caused her to push harder, hold him tighter.

Shadow's eyes were wet with tears. She had used him. She had betrayed him. She had hurt him. And she had stolen what was most precious to him and crushed it before his eyes...

His heart.