Prelude

She watched as he stood before the ship's long window, surveying the desolate land before him. He was a large man, with silvery white hair despite his youth. There was an air of elegancy about him despite his broad, masculine features, and it was this feature that frightened her all the more. She took a step forward toward the glowing light streaming from the window and felt her breath catch her throat as he came into view. His broad figure nearly filled the space in the main cabin and his breeches hugged his powerful frame. Two piercing eyes stared forward into the embers motionlessly as if he could not hear her approaching. She found herself momentarily hypnotized by the firelight that danced against his long, white coat in the dark. He looked positively god like.

She shook her head from her brief trance and let out a long, shaky sigh. She knew that taking a city had never been this easy and that he was basking in his latest victory. However, she needed her young king focused on the very matters at hand.

"M'lord?" she started with a whisper, the uncertainty present in her voice.

He glanced briefly at the lovely woman and a small smile crept to the corners of his mouth. It was a gesture the young maid did not miss. She swallowed the nervous lump in her throat and bowed her head before the powerful man.

"Congratulations, King Adam," she began again, her eyes searching the dark for his. "However, the matter of -"

"My darling," his voice fell over her like a silken tapestry. "Look at all we have accomplished. "

He was staring at her with intensity before he slowly extended a large hand toward her.

"Come, stand by me."

Penetrating, amber eyes bored into her shivering, gray orbs. The young maiden subconsciously drew her arms toward her chest, as though in fright.

"Stand by your king, Edo." He softly demanded. His eyes never left her face.

She blushed and looked away, attempting to escape his burning gaze. Edo felt her hand fall into her king's commanding grip. He suddenly drew her toward him as if she weighed nothing.

"Look outward, my love," he whispered into her gray strands. "Our empire grows." Her eyes widened at the once powerful city that now lay in pieces. She shuddered as she felt his grip tighten over her narrow shoulders, very aware that his body was more than double the width of her frame. She gazed up at her king as they stood in silence for several moments. It was Adam who finally broke the spell.

"We are very close, Edo." his smile had deepened. "Gaia will soon fall."

Edo swallowed the lump in throat, her thoughts on the unaddressed matter still loomed. Her eyes drifted onto the shadow of the window frame that streamed across the floor. Adam cupped her chin and drew her face up to his once more.

"And as for the girl," his rich voice assured, smiling further as the lovely maiden gasped. "she is being handled as we speak."