"I want the other one."
Arandia sat in the castle's throne room, lounging upon the gold throne. There were two thrones, of course. But she pushed the tendril of memory of the past out of her mind, and focused on Edward, who stood in front of her with his brother by his side. She was well aware that they captured Sonya and Cammy, but she still wanted the other one as well.
She narrowed her eyes and she noticed that Alexander seemed a little... unsteady, nervous perhaps. "My son... what is bothering you?"
He shifted one foot, and then the other, ignoring the stern look his elder brother gave him. "We already risked getting the two girls... we can't risk going back. One of the teams will find us. They'll notice."
Arandia wrinkled her nose, as if she smelled something sour upon hearing his words. Immediately, Edward stepped forward to bow at her feet. "My brother is simply a coward, mother. I will go back for you. I can do it myself."
She thought this over for a long moment, slowly moving her fingers in repetitious drumming upon the arm of her chair. "No." She commanded, a plan forming in her mind. "I will go myself. I have a bone to pick with Rayden... He won't like that I'm stealing two of his finest warriors, and I'm sure I can do some damage while I'm visiting his oh-so 'guarded' realm."
She looked at her sons, her eyes moving away from where she was staring a moment before as she formulated her plan. Edward, the oh-so perfect one; he never doubted her plans, never second-guessed her commands. She almost wished she killed Alexander... not bothering with the long and exhausting process of taking over his mind. He was rarely of any use anymore, although he did capture Cammy from her fellow Street Fighters. But Edward was a gem, and it still delighted her that she didn't kill him as she planned upon taking over his family's kingdom all those years ago. He was a warrior, although his family always lived in the past... but she fixed that. Placing cameras and weapons into the castle, adding secret rooms. She detested the world they lived in... might as well spruce it up with what she was used to, leaving the medieval furnishings so that the boys wouldn't be too confused. After all, her brainwashing only went so far.
She was brought back to the present, subtly shaking away her thoughts to focus on the matter at hand. Edward had stepped back again, standing obediently near his brother. But they still hadn't moved. "I want you to watch the girls while I'm gone. Check on them; post some of my guards if necessary, just so that they're not out of sight. They are still trapped in the room, aren't they?"
Edward nodded positively, but Alexander looked a little unsure. Edward gave him a stern look, though, and nodded as well. Arandia noticed the exchange, but thought nothing of it. "I will leave tonight. Keep an eye on things." She smiled at them, and then waved them away. When they were gone, she stood and walked to the back of the throne room, pressing a button hidden in the wall. A door slid open, and she walked inside, the dark trails of her dress slinking upon the floor after her, barely making it before the door was closed.
Once inside, she pressed her hands together and walked to the big crystal sphere set upon a stand in the middle of the room. The only room in the castle that she changed to suit her own needs, the hidden room was her escape.
She gazed into the depths of the sphere, watching her latest prey sleeping in her room. It was night in that realm, and she sneered watching the sleeping raven-haired beauty. Wouldn't be very hard at all, she told herself. Not at all.
Arandia sat in the castle's throne room, lounging upon the gold throne. There were two thrones, of course. But she pushed the tendril of memory of the past out of her mind, and focused on Edward, who stood in front of her with his brother by his side. She was well aware that they captured Sonya and Cammy, but she still wanted the other one as well.
She narrowed her eyes and she noticed that Alexander seemed a little... unsteady, nervous perhaps. "My son... what is bothering you?"
He shifted one foot, and then the other, ignoring the stern look his elder brother gave him. "We already risked getting the two girls... we can't risk going back. One of the teams will find us. They'll notice."
Arandia wrinkled her nose, as if she smelled something sour upon hearing his words. Immediately, Edward stepped forward to bow at her feet. "My brother is simply a coward, mother. I will go back for you. I can do it myself."
She thought this over for a long moment, slowly moving her fingers in repetitious drumming upon the arm of her chair. "No." She commanded, a plan forming in her mind. "I will go myself. I have a bone to pick with Rayden... He won't like that I'm stealing two of his finest warriors, and I'm sure I can do some damage while I'm visiting his oh-so 'guarded' realm."
She looked at her sons, her eyes moving away from where she was staring a moment before as she formulated her plan. Edward, the oh-so perfect one; he never doubted her plans, never second-guessed her commands. She almost wished she killed Alexander... not bothering with the long and exhausting process of taking over his mind. He was rarely of any use anymore, although he did capture Cammy from her fellow Street Fighters. But Edward was a gem, and it still delighted her that she didn't kill him as she planned upon taking over his family's kingdom all those years ago. He was a warrior, although his family always lived in the past... but she fixed that. Placing cameras and weapons into the castle, adding secret rooms. She detested the world they lived in... might as well spruce it up with what she was used to, leaving the medieval furnishings so that the boys wouldn't be too confused. After all, her brainwashing only went so far.
She was brought back to the present, subtly shaking away her thoughts to focus on the matter at hand. Edward had stepped back again, standing obediently near his brother. But they still hadn't moved. "I want you to watch the girls while I'm gone. Check on them; post some of my guards if necessary, just so that they're not out of sight. They are still trapped in the room, aren't they?"
Edward nodded positively, but Alexander looked a little unsure. Edward gave him a stern look, though, and nodded as well. Arandia noticed the exchange, but thought nothing of it. "I will leave tonight. Keep an eye on things." She smiled at them, and then waved them away. When they were gone, she stood and walked to the back of the throne room, pressing a button hidden in the wall. A door slid open, and she walked inside, the dark trails of her dress slinking upon the floor after her, barely making it before the door was closed.
Once inside, she pressed her hands together and walked to the big crystal sphere set upon a stand in the middle of the room. The only room in the castle that she changed to suit her own needs, the hidden room was her escape.
She gazed into the depths of the sphere, watching her latest prey sleeping in her room. It was night in that realm, and she sneered watching the sleeping raven-haired beauty. Wouldn't be very hard at all, she told herself. Not at all.