Shattered
Her Vampiric Majesty screeched triumphantly as she watched her squadrons fly a chained general out into the middle of the battlefield. This was what she'd been waiting for; a chance to finally show that idiot Bellorum just how foolish his decision to kill her consort really was! Not even Princess - no, Queen Cressida was going to stand between her and vengeance this time... she would kill anyone who dared stand in her way.
Icy blue eyes alflame with raging elation, the queen stepped out, striding confidently towards where Scipio Bellorum now stood in chains. That erectly arrogant posture he'd been known for was present now, though, it wouldn't be long before she corrected that. Somewhere in the back of her undead mind, the Vampire Queen knew that Cressida and Charlemagne were following her closely. But the two mortal children of her now-dead friend were far from the furious Vampire's thoughts. Right now, she was focused on one thing and one thing only: killing General Bellorum.
"So this is what the great General's been reduced to," she hissed viciously. "A pathetic mutt chained to his post."
Those coldly calculating grey eyes of his stared forward with confident laziness. "You won't dare to kill me...there's too much risk. As soon as the Empire finds out about my murder, they'll simply send another force to destroy you freaks and worms."
A resounding slap echoed across the battlefield; Her Vampiric Majesty had slapped Bellorum harshly across the face, leaving thick lines of torn skin and blood in it's wake. "Don't patronize me, General. Maggiore Totus has already translated your letters and official documents; your precious empire's on fire. There's war in the South and they're losing, which means that there's absolutely nothing to prevent me from ripping you limb from bloody limb!"
Charlemagne's quiet refined voice broke the queen's vicious rant, making her stop and think for the first time since she'd began fighting. "Your Majesty, please stop! You may have lost your consort, but my sister and I have lost our mother and brother in this man's war of revenge. If you would be so kind as to let Queen Cressida speak with him, we'd greatly appreciate it."
Something close to embarassment flickered across the Vampire Queen's features for a moment, before she nodded curtly and stepped aside. Blood-lust burned her to the very core as she watched the Icemark's newest queen contemplate Bellorum's punishment. If only she held authority over what was said about this idiotic man...there'd be nothing but shreds of tissue and fragments of bone to show that he'd even existed. Charlemagne might've been right, but that didn't mean that she had to agree with what he'd stated. She had just as much of a right to the General's head as that little queenling did.
"I only have one thing to ask you, Bellorum," Cressida said quietly, voice barely a whisper. "Was it all worth it? Giving everything up - your honor; your soldiers; your sons; only to lose to my mother's forces once again? What could you have possibly gained by spending so much on nothing more than a child-like grudge?"
Only hundreds of years steeped in evil kept Her Vampiric Majesty from shuddering at the cold smirk that crossed Bellorum's weathered face. It was so completely free of remorse or pity...this man was more evil than even she herself could claim to be anymore.
"You see child, the price of your pathetic nation and its people was negligent. Everyone that died, all the Redroughts and Cerdics and Thirrin's and Vampire Kings, were worthless; I really didn't care about all those who died in the fighting. Although..." Blood-shot grey eyes turned to look at the undead monarch standing behind her younger ally, followed by an uncharacteristically manic grin. "I did enjoy watching your freak of a consort disintegrate. After all that posturing, he was nothing more than a walking pile of dust, no?"
The Vampire Queen blanched with fury, eyes blazing a pitch-black color. She hissed, leaping forward to grasp the arrogant military murderer by his thin throat, beginning to crush his windpipe. "You go too far, mortal! Now you're going to see what it's like to be killed by the undead!"
No hesitation was shown as the queen squeezed hard enough to puncture flesh, crimson flowing down her dead-white hand and gasping breaths rattling against her face. Elated rage lit up her now pupiless eyes and she gouged her long fingernails deeper into the middle-aged soldier's throat, feeling the major arteries and veins give way beneath them. Fear beyond all comprehension had completely filled his face; he kept clawing at the hand killing him, only to find that it was like marble, unmoving and solid. The life was slowly but surely fading from Bellorum's eyes along with his blood.
"And now, my dear Scipio, you feel my pain. Your blood is unworthy for me to drink; watch as it grows cold along with your body."
Her Vampiric Majesty dropped the rapidly dying man to the earth below, watching impassively while he gasped and writhed around, his blood staining what was once beautiful green grass crimson. Not even the Moon's gentle light could make this scene any less gruesome or telling. So the queen simply turned and walked away, head held high despite the silent tears that flowed in rivers down her face. A wide pathway was parted through her escort of human, Wolf-folk, and Vampire soldiers; no one dared stand in the way of this terribly scary ruler.
Eventually, all mortal and undead eyes were now off of her, leaving so-very-numb Vampire to her own devices. Tears poured from eyes that had returned to their natural icy-blue state. She couldn't see where she was headed. The queen just ran, darting down a road that was now as familiar as her own Blood Palace to a place that was almost home. The smell of food cooking and odd stares from chamberlains and maids were insignificant by now; nothing mattered by returning to a place that felt safe.
Warm, musty air blasted the Vampire Queen in the face. She'd entered the Great Hall, knowing subliminally that she'd find Oskan Witchfather resting with some of his old monarch friends in this relaxing setting. Without even caring about Grishmak or Tharaman's gawking, she threw herself into the warlock's strong arms, weeping silent but deafening tears.
"You finished him haven't you darling?" Oskan stated sadly, pulling his distraught Vampire onto his lap.
She nodded, curling into a little ball, leaning against his shoulder and breathing deeply. The Witchfather smelt of roses and magic; an almost perfect combination when you got right down to it. Those long, elegant fingers of his ran through her hair and tried to soothe the distraught queen as she sobbed softly into Oskan's shoulder.
Nodding almost imperceptably to Tharaman-Thar, Oskan managed to make Her Vampiric Majesty sit upright, accepting a glass of whiskey from a chamberlain. "Drink this, " he ordered gently. "It'll help calm you down a little bit."
The Vampire glanced down at the amber liquid before taking a breath and downing it all in one gulp. She savored the harsh spirit as it burned a line from her throat to her stomach, eventually warming her cold body from head to toe. Alcohol; one of man's greatest inventions ever. It could make one forget everything that had occured in their lives, if only for a few short hours: but a few hours was more than enough to satisfy the undead queen.
"I'm pretty sure your eldest daughter is furious with me," she whispered. Grishmak and Tharaman had taken their leave, so they were free to speak openly with each other.
Oskan chuckled low in his throat, drawing his cold lover in close. "Why ever would you say that?"
"I killed Bellorum. He said Kingy and Thirring were worthless. Couldn't help it."
The alcohol was already causing her eyes to droop. Sleep was threatening to overtake the queen, and the Witchfather definetely noticed this. Carefully, oh so very carefully, he lifted her up bridal carry style. Her long midnight hair flowed against his arm and her head flopped against his shoulder as he glided towards what were now his private bedchambers.
"I'm sure Cressida and Sharley will understand, darling. Now, why don't we go to sleep and try to forget about this whole ordeal?" the warlock whispered.
For the first time in a long time, the Vampire Queen actually smiled with genuine happiness. Eyes still threatening to close any second, she replied with a sleepy, "I'd like that."
Entering his bedroom, Oskan kicked off his shoes and flopped down onto the large mahogany four-poster, his Vampiric girlfriend still resting comfortably against his chest. A small smirk crossed his face as she pressed against him, burying that gorgeous face of hers into the crook of his neck and wrapping long lithe arms around his torso. He in turn held her close, stroking a hand through thick waves of black silk and trying to allow unconsciousness to overtake him.
"G'night Oskan," Her Vampiric Majesty slurred, not even deigning to open her eyes.
Another wry grin. "Good night, darling. Sweet dreams."
:OOOOOO:
The next morning, Queen Cressida came barging into her father's chambers, fully intending to give him a stern tongue-lashing. But what she found before her was a sight that shocked her into utter silence; no sound was able to pass through the 17 year-old's lips.
Oskan and Her Vampiric Majesty were curled up together on the bed. Silk sheets tangled around their torsos and feet, giving both Vampire and master warlock an almost child-like appearance. Only Oskan's shirtless appearance broke that spell: apparently, the queen was very adept at clothing removal while asleep. Both had arms wrapped around the other, the Vampire's face nestled into the crook of her father's shoulder and her father's arms draped comfortably over his partner's waist.
Needless to say, it was a very strange sight for the young woman.
But neither Vampire Queen nor Witchfather seemed to care that she'd found out about their secret.
Hey guys!
I'm back my wack-ass pairings once more! You know, if you think about it, Her Vampiric Majesty and Oskan would probably make an almost canon couple...I mean, she was checking out his naked awesomeness in CotI. But I digress...
See that button down at the bottom of the screen that says 'Review'? Click on it and leave me some constructive criticism or love! I crave your input!
With sincere hope and chocolate-chip-whiskey cookies,
BlackRosePoetry