Amazonia stumbled into the room staring at the horror before her. The castle floors were awash with the blood of servants. They had all felt Marshall's anger, frustration, and sadness lash out like a whip. Even she had a laceration running from her shoulder down to her elbow, throbbing
with her bright, shiny blood.
"Marshall…what have you done?!" she pleaded, grasping her wound and leaning against the
door jam.
He was on the floor, on his knees, his head bowed and sobbing.
Amazonia stumbled up to the girl, the human, Fiona. She was sprawled on the floor and very pale. She quickly checked the girl's pulse. It was hammering, like she had been running from her greatest fear. She was unconscious and unharmed physically, but she was deep inside herself.
"Marshall!" Amazonia hissed blinking.
Marshall slowly raised his head, black tears dripping from his face.
"This way she'll be ok. I can make her fight well and she won't feel any pain…this way the public will think she's a cold-blooded killer. The Tablet of Rulers won't reject a killer…a monster."
"Marshall…the Tablet senses your true nature. Just because history hasn't displayed a kind ruler doesn't mean that all the Nightosphere's rulers were cruel. It accepted your father because it knew –"
"It accepted my father because he made a contract in blood. He would provide her an heir that wouldn't destroy her and she would give him power, protection from the Mushroom War, and safe passage within the Nightosphere. The Tablet accepted him as her mate because every other child she bore tried to kill her and she wasn't willing to give up her life for an heir. So she agreed to a half-breed. Me. In exchange for one human soul in copulation with a demon, the Vampire Queen, she got an heir that wouldn't kill her upon its birth with the downside that its own blood was poisonous to it. To me. The human blood in me is the only thing keeping the demon inside me from prevents the poison in me from killing myself, you, Fiona, and everyone I care about! The Tablet does not dwell within the realm of compassion, Amazonia! It does not care that her smile is the reason I wake every sunset, it does not care that her hair smells like the sunshine and glows like the moon. It cares not that her eyes are like clear blue oceans – rather than the black water's I am damned to! It does not care about mortal life on The Surface in the land of Aaa or anywhere else! If it did care, it would not have given my father the weapon to eradicate his enemies and his own during The Final Days and it wouldn't have warped her parents enough to offer their only child to the Nightosphere! Do you think I was overjoyed when I found them ready to sacrifice a baby to me for just a morsel of food in their hungry bellies? Do you think she would forgive me for what I did to them? Do you think I could stand, seeing her, feeling her every memory as she feels mine at the Tablet of Rulers? Do you think she would be able to venture into that darkness inside of me – to the places where The Light cannot go?! Answer me!" he snarled, panting, shaking.
"I…I think that she would see your darkness and ease its influence on you. She doesn't need…she cannot exist like this as your Thrall. If you wanted a fuckable puppet you wouldn't have slain Lady Vex, now would you? You love Fiona as she loves you. Don't let your own fear cloud your judgment. Trust her. This is not the same as Nuka. With enough dilution of human blood in you, the power can be restrained. The demon inside you could be nearly obliterated."
"And what of Fiona, hmm? Do you think that she would gladly offer her life to me every day, knowing what I'm injecting her with every time my fangs pierce her? Do you think she would react well to being envenomed by my demonic self? That my venom lets me command her body to want me, to need me in ways that somehow make the vile things I do to her pleasurable?"
"But you cannot keep her this way. She is a warrior, befitting a King. She will fight against you, and you will lose, my Prince. Think of it. Fiona is capable and bold. She does not fear you, Marshall. She fears losing you to yourself. Do not be afraid. Release her. Speak to her, force upon her the Dark Gift if you must but do not pretend that you think this is right. Do not sit idly by while your subjects wait for you to reveal her. Reveal her as she is. She is your Queen and she is every bit as strong and stubborn as you are, if not more so. You love her. That much is obvious. But let her make her own choices and fight her own battles."
"Tch." Marshall snorted.
Amazonia sighed and ruffled the Dark Prince's hair before walking from the room, still clenching her arm.
"You've left a real mess you know. Many of the servants are injured, Including myself. If I hated you, I swear I would have poisoned you by now. If it would kill you, that is."
Marshall Smiled and rose to his feet. He picked Fiona up from the floor and laid her on the bed.
Hey guys this is just a tiny taste of what I've got going to let you know I haven't abandoned this story! More to come soon!
Thanks for all your advice and support!
You guys are awesome!
- Wolf Dawn
