Morgan awoke with fright. Looking around her the fear she felt only grew as she didn't recognize a single thing, not the people to be dotted around the room, the clothes she wore or the room in general, all of it was strange to her. Yet her attention was soon drawn to the searing pain, burning through her hand, only then did she notice the wedding ring on her hand, something to add to her confusion and growing list of questions. Her attention was once again diverted mere moments later upon seeing something move from the corner of her eye, everything else seemed to blend together the moment she focused on the corner where she sworn something had moved.
As if knowing he'd been spotted, Bray wondered from the corner quietly, gentleness about him as he kept to what he perceived was a safe distance. All he could do was offer kindness in the form of a smile, hoping to reassure her, he was no threat, but instead a friend, as were the others to be scattered around the room she found herself in and the castle in general. As the ancient Shade looked around the room, he noticed how the confused princess did too, as if she tried to understand how she knew each of them there and what tied her to the place. Just as it was becoming increasingly obvious, she was beginning to notice her thirst and hunger for blood.
"Welcome back my Queen" calmly spoke Bray, his words barely above a whisper as if not to wake the others in the room. Each of the princes and the remaining princesses, all together as if by doing so they were hoping to offer the support the confused woman would need. After all they were all family, even if the dark-haired woman didn't remember it or anything to happen after her twenty-first birthday over a year prior. Almost instantly Bray noticed her confuse and even fear grow upon him calling her by her latest title of Queen. Showing she didn't understand it and the prospect of ruling scared her far more than anything else had yet, well apart from the wedding ring placed gentle on her hand.
"Where am I? Who are you? Who are they? Why are you calling me Queen? Where's my dad?" rambled Morgan, list of as many questions as she could get across without the words all jumbling together as everything was in her head as she attempted to remember what she was clearly missing, yet she stopped the moment her head began to burn with a searing and sharp pain. As if something was trying to prevent her from remembering the truth or something just as important. Yet instantly she noticed the sadness appear in Bray's eyes upon her last question leaving her lips, he knew the worst part of all, would be telling her what happened to the man whom raised her as a single parent, but not as bad as her eventually remembering it.
"I'm Bray. A Shade and the last remaining member of the royal council. No one in this room means you any harm" started the ancient Shade, not noticing Seth begin to wake up, nor did he notice Nikki and Tommaso awake in the corner of the room, both appearing to observe the situation as if to find a way of helping her without scaring her more than she already was. "You're in Shadow-Stone castle, one of the seven kingdoms of Inferno. Those surrounding the room are members of the royal family, your family" added Bray in a gentle way, doing his best not to scare her but knowing he had failed, when she looked around the room again as if to try and work out who they were and when she'd met them. Knowing her memory wouldn't give her the answers she desired. "Queen is your title, Morgan. Those in the room decided it after your actions to project this realm and the people within it" again added Bray yet not answering her final question of where her father was, knowing it would be the news to break her heart, especially when it would also lead to more questions on why she couldn't remember anything and more. Something that wouldn't be easily answered. Just as it would be no easy task to explain she had been brought to Inferno as part of a deal, she'd married a prince and become a vampire in the time period she had no current memory of.
"What about my dad?" asked Morgan, seeing how Bray once again downcast his eyes, as if he hoped she wouldn't bring it up or remember she asked the question. As if planned out Drew seemed to stir, gaining Morgan's attention for the time being and allowing Bray time to think about his answer or even how to answer such a question. Yet the ancient Shade had also noticed Seth had moved a little closer but not close enough for her to back away from him as she had done before when she'd yelled for him to leave her alone. Her memory seeming to have reset itself again since then.
"What's the last thing you remember?" voiced the Prince of Greed, curious to know what it was she recalled last. Knowing they could use that to determined how much she actually did remember and give them a starting point to kick-starting her memory. Providing she wanted to remember everything, there was always that chance. Yet there was always the safe measure of breaking the jewel to sit at her bedside in a crystal display jar. The Moon Kissed Onyx to hold all her worst memories including that of her father's death. Almost instantly Morgan looked at him as if he was the world's biggest idiot, something he was actually grateful for, as if showed the Morgan all of them had grown to call family and love, the one all of them had chosen as their Queen was still in there somewhere.
"My dad acting weirdly the week of my birthday" commented Morgan in response, revealing she remembered her birthday week before Finn, Aleister and Seth had gone to retrieve the seven women apart of the contracts. Yet also giving those around her the knowledge she couldn't remember anything to do with them, or the week they had first appeared in her life, interfering in a way. Her dark eyes turning back to those in the room as they slowly began come to from their peaceful slumber. Each of the princes looked down, as if they hoped she'd remember a little more than that, yet still they accepted the challenge before them, she was their Queen after all and a member of their family.
"That was over a year ago" responded Drew, being the one to break the news to her. She was missing over a year in her memory. "You celebrated you twenty-second birthday here in Shadow-Stone, the people threw parties for you, all of us came from our own kingdoms to celebrate as well, as we did with all the birthdays" added the Prince of Greed, knowing her worst memory occurred a week or so after it, when Star had murdered her father in cold blood. Yet as he spoke, he could see the fear glimmer brighter in her dark eyes, suggest something he had said, scared her more. Each quickly suspected it was the thought of a year or so gap in her memory. "Your father died Morgan" whispered Drew, revealing the truth to her and answer the question the others avoiding, thrust choosing to be the one who hid nothing from her, even if she hated him for it. Almost instantly, he seen tears come to her eyes, with each under the title of Princess, leaving the side of a prince to join her.
Morgan didn't fight them off but accepted the comfort they clearly wanted to give her. Nikki and Letha sitting either side of her, whereas Mercedes sat behind her, Dakota and AJ in front of her with Alexa just behind them as if she intended on warding away anyone whom meant her harm. The black-haired queen didn't attempt to hold back her tears, as her heart once again broken to find out the truth about her father, or re-learn it, if what she was told was true. The six remaining princes on the other hand seemed to gather in the furthest corner near Bray. As if to attempt to anticipate what was to come next, Randy appearing moments later to join them. He knew out of all Morgan had once known, he and AJ had changed the most since her memory had been erased.
"What happened?" quietly asked Morgan, between her hiccups and sobs. Yet still she was determined to know the truth on what happened to her dad. Did he have an illness she wasn't aware of? Was there an accident of some kind? Either way she hoped he was peaceful and didn't feel anything, just as she wanted to know why she couldn't remember such a big thing happening to her. Just like everything else in that year she remembered nothing, her memory coming up blank as if the bank holding them had misplaced them in a terrible error.
"A woman called Star Skye murdered him in the hospital" responded Drew, choosing to be honest with her, while also remembering his own guilt for the death. After all Star had murdered Morgan's father because Morgan had helped to break the spell. He felt regret for what had happened and carried the guilt with him every day since Star had revealed the murder. Hence why he had avoided Morgan as much as possible, hoping she could move on without him being a permanent reminder of the event to bring her world down. "She saw you as her biggest nemesis, blamed you for me breaking free of her spell. So, she murdered your father in response to it" explained the Prince of Greed, admitting a truth. He knew so much would have been different without the woman now known as queen. Like the other princesses, she'd helped to bring the brothers together again, helped them rebuild their strained and broken relationships.
"He didn't suffer. As part of the spell keeping him in the coma, he would have been peaceful. His last thoughts on you and your mother" softly spoke Bray, knowing the spell would have made the death quick and peaceful, allowing the single father to go back to a happy memory, with his only child and late wife. All Morgan could do in response to hearing his words was nod, accepting the hugs from the princesses surrounding her, no bothering to hold back her tears or sadness instead letting them out as she attempted to understand everything. "He was buried besides your mother, a picture of you with him" added the ancient Shade, revealing he had been buried next to her mother, underneath the tree on top of a peaceful hill in the cemetery. Yet he hadn't told her everything, neither of them could bring themselves to tell her what Seth had done following the murder. Finding a photo of her parents at her old family home, he found someone in Inferno to paint two portraits, one to hang in Shadow-Stone and the other to go in the hall of the High Palace. To hang with other past members of the family as a reminder of those whom each of them had lost on their long journey.
"Star is imprisoned in the High Palace. Awaiting judgement" spoke Drew, revealing Star to be in Inferno still waiting in her prison for someone to tell her, her judgement and punishment. Not that she'd care for either. Yet neither could sum up the courage to say the judgement and punishment rest with Morgan, the now ruling Queen of Inferno. Due her memory loss, she hadn't been aware of her promotion to Queen and thrust hadn't been able to appoint Seth as her ruling King or anyone else to a position of making decisions in her stead.
"I think we should give her some space" voiced Aleister, knowing what she needed now was time to adjust. Despite going through the same ordeal several times now, neither one of them had stuck, instead something kept resetting her memory as if something wasn't right. Yet this time he could tell something was different, she seemed different rather than completely clueless as she'd been before. She knew more this time, she remembered her own name, her family and friends from before Inferno. She remembered life events to take place before, as if this time it was the Morgan, they all knew and had come to call family. As the other's left, Seth stayed behind, as if he too sensed something different with his wife this time. When she threw him a questioning glance, he merely held up his hand, showing her the wedding band, the one to match her own and answering her question on whom she was married to.
"Was it real?" asked Morgan, her dark hair falling over her face as if putting a veil between Seth and herself. Seth carefully sat next to her on the bed, moving her hair from her face and wiping away her tears. Seemingly confused by her question at her first, but nodding moments later upon realizing what she was referring to. He knew she was his feisty princess from the moment he'd first met her in person, at the hospital over a year prior. Despite her tears of sadness and uncertainty, she was still stunningly beautiful.
"I thought the council members were mad for going through with it. All seven of you were innocent. Just as I was reluctant to come along to collect the princesses, but Bray insisted I was the only one who could handle the feisty one" started Seth, remembering it all so clearly, and hoping by telling her, how they first met, she'd remember something even if it was only a small part of her memory triggered. "Aleister said he would get you, he come back hours later dripping wet. You throw a drink at him, when he told you he was a prince of hell. He'd give me your file when he got back to the mansion, saying you were the feisty one. I gave you the file at the hospital after your dad collapsed. You were so beautiful even then dressed in your uniform" spoke the prince of wrath, an arm around her shoulders as the spoke of the first time they met, even his own thoughts of it. Still a chuckle escaped him when he remembered Aleister returning dripping wet.
"Was I always here in Shadow-Stone?" asked Morgan, as if attempting to understand her own past in the realm of Inferno and how she ended up as its queen. Much like she wanted to remember her wedding day and the epic love she apparently had with the prince at her side. It was clear to Seth she wanted to remember her time with him and in Inferno. Both the happy and heartbreaking moments. She wanted to understand everything. "What did I do to become queen?" asked the black-haired woman, curious to know what she'd done to earn such a title. Just as it hit her, she would never want a title or duty of being queen, surely there was someone else who could rule, someone better suited to it.
"Yeah. You were always here with me. You threatened to throw me off the boat on the way here if I kept treating you like a damsel in distress" responded Seth, remembering the boat ride so clearly, when he first learnt of her having no desire to be queen, only to find who she was again after the revelation of everything her father hid from her. The deal he'd made with Kane following the deadly car accident and the cost of it. Yet she settled in well at Shadow-Stone, just as he had happily hosted and trained her as a warrior. Ensure she would be able to protect herself should she need to. At some point during all of that he'd fallen in love with her, although he couldn't say when, just by the time the weddings rolled around he'd been certain he wanted to be married to the woman at his side. "I trained you as a warrior, taught you to use swords, bows and other weapons. Instead of the queen training as you said you had no desire to become queen" added the prince of wrath, remembering all their moments together, hoping something he said would trigger something, anything.
Quietness soon took over between the pair of them, at first Seth had believed she had fallen asleep. Yet soon realized otherwise when she made her intention to go to the window clear. Wanting to see the place she'd spent the majority of the missing year. Her comments of it being beautiful and peaceful bringing a smile to his lips. Yet he knew it was nothing compared to the beauty she possessed. The prince of wrath knew she waited for his answer on what she had done to earn the title of Queen. Yet he struggled to remember something she had done to deserve it. Since her arrival she had constantly shown her ability to not only stand up to the princes but to keep each of them in line as well.
"Everything" commented Seth, a soft smile on her lips at the feeling of reconnecting with his love. Yet even he could handle the unwanted responsibilities of King if he had her ruling at his side. He knew with Morgan at his side he could do anything. In that moment Morgan turned her attention to him, confused by his comment, clearly looking to him for clarification. "What you did to become Queen" added the prince of wrath, showing there was little she hadn't done to show she deserved it. "When you first came here, you stayed back until the remaining princesses were safely on the boat, in doing so you were hit with a morgal arrow, on the way here you stated you had no desire to become queen, instead trained to be a warrior, a defend of the realm. When Shadow-Stone was attacked you helped the women and children get to safety, helping to fight any rogue Seeker soldiers off. When Claymore was attacked you stayed behind to help in the fight. You fought for the people. You never hurt anyone even when you were hurt. Instead, you treated everyone as your equal. You kept me in line and put me and several other princes in our places. And you selfless sacrificed something to save all of Inferno" listened the prince of wrath, clueing her into what she had done to earn the title of Queen. She always chosen to help others even if it was a risk to her own wellbeing. Never once did she think twice about it.
"What did I sacrifice?" questioned Morgan, seemingly surprised by what she had done in the year her memory was missing. As if she believed they had the wrong person beforehand or all of it was part of a joke someone would put an end to. Yet Seth found the last question difficult to answer. How could he, yet he also couldn't deny her the answer, all he could do was hope one day she would remember everything. Just as he hoped she would remain with him or at least come back if she chose to leave.
"Your memory of your time here in Inferno" responded the prince of wrath. Seeing her confusion. "There was a creature, Star was intending on letting it loose on Inferno, destroying it as we know it. You knew the cost would be your memory but you did it anyway. To save the realm and its people. You succeeded and Star was arrested for that and many other crimes. She will face trial of both Vampires and Seekers" explained Seth, returning his gaze to the view from the window, finding it peaceful standing there with the woman he would happily rule beside and spend an eternity with. He knew she would change Inferno for the better, everyone knew it. Yet as he thought a few tears come to his eyes, the thought of losing her being too much to bear, just as it was her leaving him behind in some way or another. Yet to his surprise, Morgan reached out to wipe away his stray tears as he had done for her before.
"I may not remember, but I know my place is here. With you" softly spoke Morgan, offering a gentle grin to go with her comment. Seth could only nod, feeling as if she had read his mind, did she know him that well. Yet he also pulled her closer, at least at peace with knowing she wasn't going anyway, instead she had once again chosen to stay behind and try to remember who she was to all the people surrounding her. He'd already silently vowed to be with her, having gone through a similar thing upon finding out he had a whole other life beforehand. Being reborn and finding Morgan as a reward for his sacrifice back then.
"Let's go get you something to drink" replied Seth, recognizing the signs of hunger. Although he knew the task of explaining she was a vampire would be another challenge. Although one far easier than telling her what had happened to her father and why she was in Inferno in the first place. Only now was the prince of wrath thankful he'd kept the file, he'd originally given her at the hospital, the day they met.
Brides of Blood by Dakota Boo