Chapter 11
Lady Beryl's Desire
Never had Metallia's blood burned so hot within her veins as it did when she watched Selene tell the Promise Child about her birth and rescue. Curse you Selene, she sneered, letting the vision fall from her eyes. For a moment, she stood in silence, as motionless as the two empty halves of her brother, lying upon the stone alter behind her. Then, with a cry of fury, she whipped around and stabbed at the air in front of the dead god with one delicate hand. Dark power jumped from her fingertips to strike the god's torso, turning it to dust.
"Curse you, Selene," she snarled, curling her hands into fists. "Curse you, and curse your children. Curse you all one thousand times over." Muttering further curses under her breath, the goddess took to pacing the floor of her cave while her mind raced with possible problems that this could cause her. Of course, Selene had mercilessly vilified the dark gods, turning the child's head with her lies. Metallia would make certain to make that bitch of a light sister suffer greatly. But how could she? How, now that Selene and Serenity had the Promise Child's love? Even if her powers did awaken, they would surely be made to serve Serenity. Unless.
The goddess stopped pacing. A slow smile spread across her face. Of course, she thought with a smirk. How could I forget? Letting her eyelids fall closed over her dusky eyes, Metallia stretched out with her senses across the stars towards her subordinate.
"Lady Beryl," said she. "Awaken." The girl's presence, like a black rose in the goddess' mind, pulsed as Lady Beryl climbed back into consciousness. Metallia caught flickers of rage and jealousy from the Terran noblewoman, dancing across a sea of sorrow and mistrust. Quickly and silently, Metallia scanned the girl's spirit seeking a reason for such distress. What she found almost made her cry out with delight.
"Yes, my mistress?" Lady Beryl asked, unaware of the search that had just taken place.
"Come to me, my pet," said the goddess. "I have news."
"As do I."
"Do you?" Metallia asked without much surprise.
"Yes," the girl replied sullenly. "I am afraid it is rather unpleasant."
"I see." Metallia's tone was unreadable. "Very well. You may tell me what it is when you arrive. Come." And Beryl was swiftly swept away from her bed, and deposited somewhat roughly on the floor of Metallia's cave. Biting back a complaint, the redheaded girl got stiffly to her feet, rubbing her backside. The bottom half of the god upon Metallia's alter caught the girl's eye.
"Mistress.?" she asked timidly, pointing to the god.
"Of course," was Metallia's reply. Gliding over to the alter, she inserted a finger into his lower half, and ran it along one of his muscles, salvaging a drop or so of his blood. She held her prize out for Lady Beryl. Obediently, her subordinate came forward and ate the blood off her mistress' finger. Instantly, pain filled her mouth, spreading as the god's blood flowed down her throat and into her belly. Beryl bravely gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out. The pain had lessened recently, as she became used to the power of a god's blood. She needn't cry like a child over two drops. The pain slowly subsided, and Beryl let her jaw slacken. Raising her eyes to her mistress' face, she found her smiling patiently.
"Now, pet, what was this news you had for me?" the goddess asked, even though she already knew the answer. Pain stabbed at Beryl again, but this time, it was not from the god's blood. Forcing back the tears that threatened her, Beryl averted her gaze.
"Prince Endymion has been unfaithful to me," she managed to whisper.
"How do you know this?" Metallia inquired in a carefully neutral voice.
"Because.because I saw him!" Beryl shouted, her tears suddenly winning out, although her voice remained steady. "I passed his room tonight, and saw that his bed was empty. I assumed he had gone out to the gardens, so I went to find him. That was when I saw him with that saucy little wench in his arms. No better than the dirt beneath my feet! And it was obvious she had been sleeping in it, I jest not! I was preparing to go to them, and take her from his arms before anyone else learned of his affair, when there was a flash of great silver light. And then I saw the truth! The wench was no street girl at all! She was Serenity VI! The Lunarian princess herself! And Endymion smiled at her, and told her that he did not care what her race was, that he loved her truly! And then he took her into his embrace, and kissed her with such passion as he has never kissed me! I knew not what to do, so I returned to my bed." And then, Lady Beryl gave into her tears, and wept bitterly, while Metallia looked on, considering what she had just heard. Then, the goddess did the last thing that Lady Beryl would have expected.
She laughed.
"Mistress!" Beryl exclaimed, horrified. "How can you laugh at this? That whore has seduced my prince! Why, I have a good mind to kill her where she stands the next time she sets foot upon Terra!" Metallia's expression grew stern.
"You will do no such thing," she said sharply, much to Beryl's surprise.
"But, Mistress! Princess Serenity seduced Prince Endymion! She's broken the oldest and most sacred law of her people and mine by coming to Terra!"
"And by doing so, she is playing right into our hands!" Metallia reminded the girl sharply. "Do not act with haste, Lady Beryl. I have told you before that Queen Serenity is not a foe to be underestimated. As sacred to your people as their separation from the Lunarians is their peace with them. That is an idea that will be purged from their minds in time, but for now, they hold it sacred. Were you to strike down Princess Serenity, it would not matter what laws she had broken. You would have been the one to spill Lunarian blood, and likely your blood would be demanded in return. I cannot afford to lose you now."
"I can understand that, Mistress," Beryl admitted, "but if Serenity lives, Endymion will be in danger as well! He could be exiled, or even killed if our people decided he was bad luck!" Metallia waved her hand dismissively.
"That is no concern of ours," she declared.
"But, it is!" Beryl argued. "I am to be his Queen. You do still wish for me to become Queen of Terra, do you not?"
"I do," Metallia replied. "But am I not correct in thinking that because you are betrothed to Prince Endymion, whose mother is nearing the end of her child-bearing years, and has thus far failed to produce a second child, you will become Queen, even if the prince dies?" Beryl nodded slowly.
"Yes." she admitted. "But I would need a husband."
"Well, there are plenty of other men out there."
"But none so handsome as Endymion!"
"Well, you shall have to settle for someone less handsome!" the goddess snapped. "You will still be made Queen of Terra, and you will be putting an end to Danu and Dagda's line at the same time! What could be better for our glorious cause?"
"But I want Endymion!" Beryl cried. Metallia's dusky eyes narrowed. Beryl, knowing that she had somehow gotten herself into trouble, instantly regretted her words.
"Pet," the goddess hissed softly, "You allege that your interests in Prince Endymion are purely out of lust for his throne and for his body." Beryl swallowed, and lifted her chin.
"That is so, my Mistress," she declared. "I only wish to inherit Terra's crown that I might show my people the true nature of the dark gods. That I should have a handsome king at my side is merely a pleasant boon."
"If that is so, pet, then why do you plead for Endymion, even when you know we would be better off if he died?" Beryl felt her veins turn to ice.
"I."
"Could it be," Metallia went on, not bothering to let Beryl reply, "that you are, in fact, in love with your prince?" Beryl felt her cheeks burning with shame. Falling in love indicated a weak spirit. Could Metallia afford to keep on a subordinate with a weak spirit?
"What was the news you had for me?" Beryl mumbled, wanting to forget the whole thing. Metallia seemed willing to comply.
"Selene has appeared to the Promise Child. She has told her all about her birth and rescue. Of course, her story was sprinkled with lies about me and my dark kin."
"Oh, no!" Beryl moaned, genuinely alarmed. Metallia smiled indulgently.
"There, there, my pet," she said soothingly. "It is but a minor setback. If you will recall, the Promise Child's parents passed along powers aligned with death and silence. Both are forces that are easily corrupted. Add in a child's innocence, and it is surprisingly easy to get her to believe whatever you wish her too-and not that much more difficult to undo the damage. It may take a bit more work to get her to believe the truth and coax her back to our side, but it shall be done."
"That is a great relief, my Mistress." Metallia cackled.
"Return to your bed, my pet. You are not needed here now." Beryl sighed and nodded. As she was waiting to be sent home, Metallia added, "And do not worry about your prince. I shall not let anything happen to him." Beryl sucked in a breath and raised her eyes to the goddess' face.
"Really?" she asked hopefully. "He can still be mine?"
"Yes," Metallia answered with a nod. "I am certain I can find some use for him. But be warned, Lady Beryl. His body will be yours, and his heart as well, only as long as you are loyal to me. If at any point, you are to betray me, I shall send Endymion to hunt you down." Beryl almost laughed at that.
"Well, you needn't worry about that, Mistress!" she said cheerfully, "But I must ask one thing. I.I know that you wish to be the one to tear the Queen from her throne, but about the princess."
"You wish to take your revenge upon her for seducing your prince?"
"Yes, that is correct," Beryl agreed, relieved that she didn't have to say it. Slowly, Metallia nodded.
"Granted," she said curtly. "Now, go." And with a wave of her hand, Beryl was gone, back to the palace on Terra, where she had made her home.
Lady Beryl's Desire
Never had Metallia's blood burned so hot within her veins as it did when she watched Selene tell the Promise Child about her birth and rescue. Curse you Selene, she sneered, letting the vision fall from her eyes. For a moment, she stood in silence, as motionless as the two empty halves of her brother, lying upon the stone alter behind her. Then, with a cry of fury, she whipped around and stabbed at the air in front of the dead god with one delicate hand. Dark power jumped from her fingertips to strike the god's torso, turning it to dust.
"Curse you, Selene," she snarled, curling her hands into fists. "Curse you, and curse your children. Curse you all one thousand times over." Muttering further curses under her breath, the goddess took to pacing the floor of her cave while her mind raced with possible problems that this could cause her. Of course, Selene had mercilessly vilified the dark gods, turning the child's head with her lies. Metallia would make certain to make that bitch of a light sister suffer greatly. But how could she? How, now that Selene and Serenity had the Promise Child's love? Even if her powers did awaken, they would surely be made to serve Serenity. Unless.
The goddess stopped pacing. A slow smile spread across her face. Of course, she thought with a smirk. How could I forget? Letting her eyelids fall closed over her dusky eyes, Metallia stretched out with her senses across the stars towards her subordinate.
"Lady Beryl," said she. "Awaken." The girl's presence, like a black rose in the goddess' mind, pulsed as Lady Beryl climbed back into consciousness. Metallia caught flickers of rage and jealousy from the Terran noblewoman, dancing across a sea of sorrow and mistrust. Quickly and silently, Metallia scanned the girl's spirit seeking a reason for such distress. What she found almost made her cry out with delight.
"Yes, my mistress?" Lady Beryl asked, unaware of the search that had just taken place.
"Come to me, my pet," said the goddess. "I have news."
"As do I."
"Do you?" Metallia asked without much surprise.
"Yes," the girl replied sullenly. "I am afraid it is rather unpleasant."
"I see." Metallia's tone was unreadable. "Very well. You may tell me what it is when you arrive. Come." And Beryl was swiftly swept away from her bed, and deposited somewhat roughly on the floor of Metallia's cave. Biting back a complaint, the redheaded girl got stiffly to her feet, rubbing her backside. The bottom half of the god upon Metallia's alter caught the girl's eye.
"Mistress.?" she asked timidly, pointing to the god.
"Of course," was Metallia's reply. Gliding over to the alter, she inserted a finger into his lower half, and ran it along one of his muscles, salvaging a drop or so of his blood. She held her prize out for Lady Beryl. Obediently, her subordinate came forward and ate the blood off her mistress' finger. Instantly, pain filled her mouth, spreading as the god's blood flowed down her throat and into her belly. Beryl bravely gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out. The pain had lessened recently, as she became used to the power of a god's blood. She needn't cry like a child over two drops. The pain slowly subsided, and Beryl let her jaw slacken. Raising her eyes to her mistress' face, she found her smiling patiently.
"Now, pet, what was this news you had for me?" the goddess asked, even though she already knew the answer. Pain stabbed at Beryl again, but this time, it was not from the god's blood. Forcing back the tears that threatened her, Beryl averted her gaze.
"Prince Endymion has been unfaithful to me," she managed to whisper.
"How do you know this?" Metallia inquired in a carefully neutral voice.
"Because.because I saw him!" Beryl shouted, her tears suddenly winning out, although her voice remained steady. "I passed his room tonight, and saw that his bed was empty. I assumed he had gone out to the gardens, so I went to find him. That was when I saw him with that saucy little wench in his arms. No better than the dirt beneath my feet! And it was obvious she had been sleeping in it, I jest not! I was preparing to go to them, and take her from his arms before anyone else learned of his affair, when there was a flash of great silver light. And then I saw the truth! The wench was no street girl at all! She was Serenity VI! The Lunarian princess herself! And Endymion smiled at her, and told her that he did not care what her race was, that he loved her truly! And then he took her into his embrace, and kissed her with such passion as he has never kissed me! I knew not what to do, so I returned to my bed." And then, Lady Beryl gave into her tears, and wept bitterly, while Metallia looked on, considering what she had just heard. Then, the goddess did the last thing that Lady Beryl would have expected.
She laughed.
"Mistress!" Beryl exclaimed, horrified. "How can you laugh at this? That whore has seduced my prince! Why, I have a good mind to kill her where she stands the next time she sets foot upon Terra!" Metallia's expression grew stern.
"You will do no such thing," she said sharply, much to Beryl's surprise.
"But, Mistress! Princess Serenity seduced Prince Endymion! She's broken the oldest and most sacred law of her people and mine by coming to Terra!"
"And by doing so, she is playing right into our hands!" Metallia reminded the girl sharply. "Do not act with haste, Lady Beryl. I have told you before that Queen Serenity is not a foe to be underestimated. As sacred to your people as their separation from the Lunarians is their peace with them. That is an idea that will be purged from their minds in time, but for now, they hold it sacred. Were you to strike down Princess Serenity, it would not matter what laws she had broken. You would have been the one to spill Lunarian blood, and likely your blood would be demanded in return. I cannot afford to lose you now."
"I can understand that, Mistress," Beryl admitted, "but if Serenity lives, Endymion will be in danger as well! He could be exiled, or even killed if our people decided he was bad luck!" Metallia waved her hand dismissively.
"That is no concern of ours," she declared.
"But, it is!" Beryl argued. "I am to be his Queen. You do still wish for me to become Queen of Terra, do you not?"
"I do," Metallia replied. "But am I not correct in thinking that because you are betrothed to Prince Endymion, whose mother is nearing the end of her child-bearing years, and has thus far failed to produce a second child, you will become Queen, even if the prince dies?" Beryl nodded slowly.
"Yes." she admitted. "But I would need a husband."
"Well, there are plenty of other men out there."
"But none so handsome as Endymion!"
"Well, you shall have to settle for someone less handsome!" the goddess snapped. "You will still be made Queen of Terra, and you will be putting an end to Danu and Dagda's line at the same time! What could be better for our glorious cause?"
"But I want Endymion!" Beryl cried. Metallia's dusky eyes narrowed. Beryl, knowing that she had somehow gotten herself into trouble, instantly regretted her words.
"Pet," the goddess hissed softly, "You allege that your interests in Prince Endymion are purely out of lust for his throne and for his body." Beryl swallowed, and lifted her chin.
"That is so, my Mistress," she declared. "I only wish to inherit Terra's crown that I might show my people the true nature of the dark gods. That I should have a handsome king at my side is merely a pleasant boon."
"If that is so, pet, then why do you plead for Endymion, even when you know we would be better off if he died?" Beryl felt her veins turn to ice.
"I."
"Could it be," Metallia went on, not bothering to let Beryl reply, "that you are, in fact, in love with your prince?" Beryl felt her cheeks burning with shame. Falling in love indicated a weak spirit. Could Metallia afford to keep on a subordinate with a weak spirit?
"What was the news you had for me?" Beryl mumbled, wanting to forget the whole thing. Metallia seemed willing to comply.
"Selene has appeared to the Promise Child. She has told her all about her birth and rescue. Of course, her story was sprinkled with lies about me and my dark kin."
"Oh, no!" Beryl moaned, genuinely alarmed. Metallia smiled indulgently.
"There, there, my pet," she said soothingly. "It is but a minor setback. If you will recall, the Promise Child's parents passed along powers aligned with death and silence. Both are forces that are easily corrupted. Add in a child's innocence, and it is surprisingly easy to get her to believe whatever you wish her too-and not that much more difficult to undo the damage. It may take a bit more work to get her to believe the truth and coax her back to our side, but it shall be done."
"That is a great relief, my Mistress." Metallia cackled.
"Return to your bed, my pet. You are not needed here now." Beryl sighed and nodded. As she was waiting to be sent home, Metallia added, "And do not worry about your prince. I shall not let anything happen to him." Beryl sucked in a breath and raised her eyes to the goddess' face.
"Really?" she asked hopefully. "He can still be mine?"
"Yes," Metallia answered with a nod. "I am certain I can find some use for him. But be warned, Lady Beryl. His body will be yours, and his heart as well, only as long as you are loyal to me. If at any point, you are to betray me, I shall send Endymion to hunt you down." Beryl almost laughed at that.
"Well, you needn't worry about that, Mistress!" she said cheerfully, "But I must ask one thing. I.I know that you wish to be the one to tear the Queen from her throne, but about the princess."
"You wish to take your revenge upon her for seducing your prince?"
"Yes, that is correct," Beryl agreed, relieved that she didn't have to say it. Slowly, Metallia nodded.
"Granted," she said curtly. "Now, go." And with a wave of her hand, Beryl was gone, back to the palace on Terra, where she had made her home.