Author's Note: Well here's next chapter. I don't have much to say. Just hope it is of your liking and remember to review. Oh! I forgot to put a disclaimer in the last chapter o well It is obvious I don't own nothing of any of this series but still…. Well I put the disclaimer here nonetheless.
Disclaimer: I don't own Legacy of Kain, N3 or Kingdom under Fire all are copyright of their respective owners.
I feel warmth caressing my skin. I awoke from my slumber to discover the cause of the warmness. Rays of light filtering through a nearby window; projecting themselves gently upon my face. It would seem it is already early in the morning.
Fully awake now; I rose from my covers and off the bed with the intention of going into the restroom. Before I do so, I look outside the window into the Fortress city below.
Chapter 2: Morning Routines.
Arein… Once mighty a Fortess of Hironeden, then a mighty fortress of Vellond which over the years it started to lose power and importance; it's former glory now waned. Today, Arein is litle more than a collection of ruins and damaged buildings that are slowly raising themselves back up. As if the city itself was refusing of letting go of its pride and was trying with all its efforts to recover the dignity and might that once held. It's crumbled walls, fortresses and barracks slowly, but surely being rebuild by the efforts of our slaves; orcs and humans alike. These is the place where I lamented the destruction of our nation; and this is the place where I will make it rise anew. Much has changed; indeed.
Those dammed Kaedes! after all that Vellond has done for them. After all we have done for them. Before we came the Drows were nothing but quarreling tribes that did nothing but to fight among themselves. They had no sense of unity, no nation to call their own. Constantly disregarded and looked down by the rest of the nations of Bersia. Before us they were nothing.
We unified them; we gave them direction. Under our guidance they were able to rise and claim a place that they could call their own and obtain the strength to stand against the intervention of any foreign nation.
So what if they had to bow to us in exchange for all this? They had unity and security and our country had become a superpower in the world they had to do was to obey. But they didn't, foolishly believing that any naïve illusion of freedom was better than a unified front against external threats.
They rebelled against us, their patrons, their unifiers, their overseers, their betters, their half-vampire rulers. Idiots all of them; and for their transgressions we lost our country. The king dead; granted a shame really but not enough to paralyze the nation, that is until they decided to attack both the capital city and Arein razing them to the ground, scattering all we had wrought into the 4 winds.
It still brings a shiver down my spine when I think of how close we were to lose everything we had strived so hard to accomplish; luckily I had enough vision and drive to rebuild our once proud nation.
After the cursed Kaedes destroyed Vellond's seat of power and destabilize the country; the foolish Dark elves found themselves at a loss. Having defeated their common foe; all the drow clans didn't know what to do without an enemy to fight. And not much time passed before the Drows started to fight each other, fragmenting their forces and loosing any way of coordinated action.
This gave me the opportunity I needed to rebuild Vellond. I gathered and unified the remaining, now leaderless Half-vampire forces and all the Loyalist clans of Dark Elves I could muster. Under my command we drove the fragmented Kaedes forces back and out of Vellond. And into the burning sands of Hexter. May they suffer a slow, painful death in the dunes and their corpses rot under the unforgiving sun of Hexter. Sadly, I know that is just wishful thinking from my part. The Kaedes are like vermin. No mather how much of them you kill, they always seems to be more.
But at least it gave us a reprieve. Many believe that it was by lucky chance that we get the opportunity to regroup and mount our counterattack; with the Kaedes forces at odds and all that. But in retrospective, there is not really any surprise. Drows are known for their hostility and arrogance against others; even among themselves. And that is why i'm not surprised that they ended up turning against each other. Their own history is all but full of such needless conflicts and constant tribal wars. Bah! Drows can be so pety.
Feh! It was actually quite enjoyable chasing them out of our lands; hunting them, breaking their spirits and will. I made them pay dearly for their transgressions with every ounce of their blood. It took a while to expel them from oour lands; But the massacres! The terror we made fall upon them... Those will always be one of my fondest memories.
At any rate, with their prescence out of our land; could start with my plans of restoring the nation and settle my seat of power, which i decided should be Arein since the capital was unsalvageable but Arein could be restored and since it is a Fortress Citadel it could offer a sound seat of goverment. For my actions in the restoration effort, as well as my influence; I was named Queen of Vellond by the people and the nobility. Now I rule unopposed the Half-Vampire Nation and I will restore our power and will ensure that no one dares to threaten MY country and its citizens. Wether be Kaedes, Humans or Elves; They will learn not to incurre the wrath of the Queen Morene.
My thoughts are interrupted by one of the maidservants who enters in my chambers. Clearly she is about to start with her daily routine. She bows before me and greets me, giving me the usual pleasentries that i expect from the servants in the morning.
While she starts making my bed, i took the chance to go inside the restroom for my morning bath. I enter to found the bath tub already filled and ready, with another maidservant ready at the side; Just as i had expected. I remove my nightgown and handed it over to the maid, not even taking a glance at her; Already knowing that she bows at me while recieving my nightgown without taking her gaze from the floor. Then i procced with the task of cleaning my body.
After I finish with my bath; I raise out of the tub to find the same maidservant waiting for me with a towel at the ready. My discarded garments are nowhere to be seen. I take the towel and proceed to dry with it the wetness of my body.
I left the bathroom back into my dormroom. There another maidservant is waiting for me. Holding in her hands the neatly folded vestments that i'm to wear for today. Those revealing and somewhat scant outfits that i'm so fond of wearing.
I donne them quickly and then proceed to sit at my leasure in one of the nearby and highly luxurious pieces of furniture that adorn my bedchambers. As if on cue; 4 maidservants carrying diferent types of cosmetics and beauty items enter in my dorm.
They quickly set at the task of applying my makeup, comb my hair and clean and paint my nails of both hands and feet. All of this takes several minutes. When it is done one of the servants brings my high-heel boots to me. I put them on quickly with care of not ruining my pedicure.
Finally having ended with my daily routine for dressing. I exit my chambers. I found Ilfa; my main bodyguard, advisor and the leader of Vellond's military elite force, the Yenicheri, waiting for me at the entrance of my chambers. She is wearing her usual outfit befiting of her position. Long, fine and well decorated white ceremonial robes and hood, that conceal from sight the armor and weapons that she is wearing underneath. At first glance she looks more like a priest than a highly trained and experienced assasin. that brought almost a smirk to mi lips. How I have enjoyed seeing enemies when they subestimate Ilfa, fooled by her bright smile, innocent face and solemn and servient attitude. Beliving she would be no threat at all, only to find nothing but a swift and brutal death.
"Good morning; milady" She warmily greets and bows at me.
"Morning Ilfa; I assume that you have some important news to inform me" I said to her.
Ilfa's features shown a small amount of worry before composing back into a mask of solemnity; clearly the news she brings me are not something good. It is never hard to read Ilfa's intentions, she doesn't mask them. If she's bothered, worried, happy or disgustedabout something, she would make it known to you. Even when angry Ilfa's face never loses her pretiness. Making her look cute and adorable even when she's mad; all this helping in her ruse of pretenfing to be a helpless untreathening woman.
I've always aprecciated Ilfa's honesty, even when we used to be at odds and disliked each other back when i was nothing more than a Overseer of Vellond. Ancestors know how many times i saw that pretty face of hers angry and pouting at me. I didn't like her much back then to tell the truth, but i didn't hate her either. She knew where was her position and what was her duty and so; she was not going to dare to let her dislikes to Jeopardize her duties. So she was prepared to do anything that needed to be done to acomplish the orders given to her, even if it meant working with someone she disliked; that someone being me.
Over time Ilfa's disposition towards me softened and she started to grow on me too. How could she not? she is an excellent level-headed official and subordinate of unwavering loyalty. Capable of keeping the cohesion of all the units under her command in the middle of a battlefield and respond in swift and effective manner against any change that may ocurr in the tides of battle. She is indeed a valuable asset; it would be a pity to lose her. Good helpers are so hard to find these days.
It is quite interesting, indeed of how Ilfa used to dislike me and now she is utterly loyal and devoted to only me. Well; Ilfa was always a fervent followers of the ideals that Vellond represented (Her hate and disgust for the Kaedes is almost as great as mine) and since now i am Vellond's only monarch, It was safe to assume that Ilfa's would give her loyalty to me. But i had already gained Ilfa's loyalty and respect long before i seized the crown.
We went through many harships together, fighting desperatly to ensure the survival of Vellond during the encablossan war. It was such a chaos during that time, but we managed to pull our forces and troops through that hell. Eventually whe found ourselves stranded in the middle of the desert in route of Arein. We were beaten by the constant fighting and tired by our long run through the desert. And if the situation could not get much worse; we were surrounded and overwhelmed by all sides by the traitorous Kaedes, effectively cutting our troops from any reinforcement.
That bitch Lucretia had survided when i left her to die alone in the desert of Hexer. She became the leader of the Kaedes and thought it would be really nice to attack us in our weakest, after being forced to retreat from the encablossian onslaught.
The bitch dare to threaten me. either i condemed all my troops (Ilfa included) to die, by handing them to the Kaedes to be executed for some stupid crime of treachery against the Drow race. The nerve! How they dare to acusse the loyal and faithful followers of Vellond of treason. THEY are the traitors, THEY are the ones who almost caused the collapse of the order, we had installed.
Of course my choice was obvious, I attacked that smug bitch head on the moment she ended her little charade. I slaugther any of the traitors that dare stand in my way; I swear i saw a tinge of fear marr Lucretia's face when i managed to draw blood from her by a swing to her face. The rest of my forces joined me in the fray, they did not hesitate even in the face of overwhelming odds; were used to that situation by now. We didn't belive that there was a chance of survival for us and that gave us strenght. fueled by desperation, what was left of my forces engaged the traitorous Kaedes in single combat. Our lives were lost, but we didn't care, all that was important was making the Kaedes bleed.
Ilfa and the rest of the drows loyal to Vellond fought fiercely and savagely, uncaring of the enemy that was slowly encroaching around us, ready to put us down at any moment. something that could onle be achieved by those soldiers that knew that they had nothing left to lose.
but their killing abilities were nothing compare to mine. I broke their lines, their sipirits with my bare hands. Carving a bloody path towards Lucretia. Who was trying to get away from me as far as possible, putting the bodies of her troops beetwen us in an attempt to hinder me. It didn't matter much anyway; all living thing that dare stood before me did not lived much after that.
Shields broke at my passing, women troops sreamed as i flayed the flesh out their bones with my nails. My tendrils swirled cutting through armor and launching anyone stupid enough to get close to me into the air.
I believe Ilfa and every single of my troops were impressed by my sheer viciousness for they started to fight back even more fiercely than before, clearly taking inspiration by their leader butchery.
Eventually; when i finally maged to catch on Lucretia. She called her attack off, realizing that even if her kaedes troops killed every single one of us, she would not left the battlefield alive and as always the harlot tried to save her own hideous hide before that of anyone else.
She mocked and taunted at me before departing, but i didn't hear much of that. I was too tired to care, both physically and mentally. My troops were speechless none of us had expected to survive this encounter, yet we did. It would had been cheers and celebrations if not for the fact that the Keades were now heading towards a defenseless Arein; so we move. We tried to catch with the Kaedes, but... The constant battles and marches had taken its toll on us. My troops were tired and we couldn't keep up. We arrive to late, only to find Arein in ruins.
That's when i made my lament. That's when i vowed to make the Kaedes pay. And that's when Ilfa and her Yenicheris gave her undoubtly loyalty to me. I know Ilfa did it because she was moved by my decision of not handed them to the Kaedes back in the desert and stick an pull them out of that hell. But i didn't make that decision because of them. I did it because of my pride, because of my dignity, Because no true citizen of Vellond should ever admit surrender at the hands of vile traitors. That is most unworthy of any loyal follower of Vellond. Any other thing was just a side effect, but it was a very useful one. For it gave total control over the most elite troops in the entire nation and an excellent officer to serve as my right hand.
I'm pulled out of my reverie when i notice that Ilfa is giving me odd looks. "Milady are you alright? You have been holding the same expression for the last five minutes" She says to me. I sigh, no time to be reliving the past, there is much work to be done.
"Everything is fine Ilfa, i was just pondering in all that we have achived since our time in the desert and all the work still lays before us" I said. Ilfa noods abjectly, I can see the corner of her lips forming into a knowing smile.
"Then the news i have for you milady, should be of more concern to your highness" Ilfa said.
"Please!" I scoof "Enough with the pleasentries Ilfa, I've know you long enough to know that, is not how you wish to adress me" Indeed i'm used to heard the usal verbal flattering and boot-licking from most of my servients. But hearing from Ilfa other than milady is just weird, specially after all the blood we have spilled together.
Ilfa giggles "As you wish Lady Morene" She does not call me queen; Good i've got enough of that from the other servients, specially the senate.
"I have an important report to deliver to you, then" Ilfa demeneor changes into her professional self, this i'm more comfortable with "Our scouts have sighted several movements of Kaedes forces through borders, It is of note that this movement have made by an unusually high numbers of traitors troops. More so we have detected them concentrating in the most weak points of our border defence. It is my believe that the traitor scum (Ilfa spats at this part) are planning an incursion into Vellond territory. It would seem that someone has finally managed to unify the warring tribes of the Kaedes and now tries to openly act against us, milady".
These is serious information indeed; The rebel scum dares once more to defy the will of Vellond, to defy me. I would have to think of how to make an example of this defiance.
"Ilfa walk with me" I said and she obeys without question " Tell me all of what you know about their new leadership".
Ilfa does so, and while we walk through the empty halls of this castle, she tells me all what i need to know. I gave her the order to gather the Yenicheri and prepare them for a little expedition. Ilfa smiles at me and tells me the preparations will be taken care of, but before setting to her task, she tells me that there is a little surprise for me waiting in the dining room. I'm curios so i set in the direction of the mess hall.
I walk through the halls of the castle with Ilfa in tow, most of the castle has already been rebuilt but some of its wings are still being reconstructed. I made my way through archways and halls until reaching my destination: The dining room.
I enter in the room, and found the great oak table table ready and breakfast already served. I sit in my place at the head of the old and venerable piece of furniture. The fireplace at my back iluminates the room that is full of tapestries but lacks any kind of window and gives me a pleasant sense of warm. As a half-vampire my body can consume food like a regular person, but it dosen't provide us with much nourishment, unlike the blood that can keep us going for days. Sometimes i like to indulge my more banal way of comsuption when i feel like biting something with my fangs, but not today. Today i'm more in the mood for the sweet taste of that crimson liquid that gives life.
I extend my hand and a great silver chalice with exquisite decorations in its frame is delivered in my grasp by one of the servants. A gagged whimper suddenly echoes in the hall. Something not unexpected since there is a bruised and beaten drow chained and hanging upside down above the table.
The drow keeps with her hopeless muffled screams for help and strugless fruitless against her bonds. I observe her with a small expresion of amusement while i rest my chin in my free hand.
"I didn't realize that today was the turn for livestock; i thought i was going to be served from the blood tithes" I said.
Ilfa smiles and shakes her head at me "No milady, this is a special surprise for today. These..." Said Ilfa while reffering to the chained drow "Is one of those worthless Kaedes that our scouts captured during their patrols. This one in special was trying to spy inside our borders to gauge the strenght of our forces posted along the border, this is how we discovered of the Kaedes plot for incursion and why sended our scouts to where the Kaedes are suspected to gather. Since we already have extracted from this wretched creature all the information we could or care about. I decided that it would be best to put this traitor to a good use. So she will have the honor of donating her vitae for your nourishment milady, a far more grandiose end than what she really deserves"
I slightly smirk at that. Dear Ilfa always so devoted.
"I apreciate the gesture, it is quite of my liking" I raise my cup and I hold it just a few inches bellow the drow head. She trash and whimpers even more, her entire figure is marred by sheer horror and desperation. Yes! this is indeed a pleasent gift from Ilfa.
I adress her again "My dear Ilfa, whould you like the honor?" She beams at me and nods. "Certanly milady; it will be a pleasure".
Ilfa pulls a dagger from underneath one of her robe sleeves and cassually aproaches the prisioner. She jerks and struggles pitifully against her bonds, her screams of terror muffled by her muzzle. Her drown screams are suddenly silenced by Ilfa, who slashes her throat in a single movement. Not enough to kill her immediatly, but enough to damage her vocal cords and procuring a slow and terrible death for the prisioner.
Unable to scream anymore, the prisioner is reduced to quiet and pathetic sobs. Blood is pouring freely from her wound; it oozes and slips through her head intertwining with her tears and soaking her face and hair, turning them into a crimson color. Finally; blood starts to drip because of gravity and ends up falling inside my chalice, filling it at a slow and steady pace.
When i'm pleased with the amount of red liquid inside my chalice. I remove it from the dripping blood and take it to my lips. My mouth is filled by the sweet taste of blood mixed along with tears and sweat of fear. I take my time to enjoy the exquisiteness of my drink, releasing a moan of satisfaction. Sometimes i really enjoy to be the queen.
Note: Well here it is chapter 2, as always, make sure to review, until next time.