Darkness Within
Chapter 4
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Duo shook himself, trying to dislodge the unwelcome thoughts. In some ways, memories were worse than the lash, for they led to thoughts of Askavi, with it's mountains rising to cut the sky and its valleys filled with towns, farms, and forests. Not that Askavi was that fertile anymore, having been raped for too many centuries by those who tool but never gave anything back. Still, it was home, and centuries of enslaved exile had left him aching for the smell of clean mountain air, the taste of a sweet, cold stream, the silence of the woods, and most of all, the mountains where the Eyrien race soared.
But he was in Pruul, that hot, scrubby desert wasteland, serving that bitch Zuultuh because he couldn't hide his disgust for Prythian, Askavi's High Priestess, couldn't leash his temper enough to serve witches he despised.
Among the Blood, males were meant to serve, not to rule. He had never challenged that, despite the number of witches he'd killed over the centuries. He had killed them because it was an insult to serve them, because he was an Eyrien Warlord Prince who wore Ebon-gray Jewels and refused to believe that serving and groveling meant the same thing. Because he was a half-breed bastard, he had no hope of attaining a position of authority within a court, despite the rank of his Jewels. Because he was a trained Eyrien warrior and had a temper that was explosive even for a Warlord Prince, he had even less hope of being allowed to live outside the social chains of a court
And he was caught, as all Blood males were caught. There was something bred into them that made them crave service, that compelled them to bond in some way with a Blood-Jeweled female.
Duo twitched his shoulder and sucked air through his teeth as a lash wound reopened. When he gingerly touched the wound, his hands came away wet with fresh blood.
He bared is teeth in a bitter smile. What was that old saying? A wish, offered with blood, is a prayer to the Darkness.
He closed his eyes, raised his hand toward the night sky, and turned inward, descending into the psychic abyss to the depth of his Ebon-gray Jewels so that the wish would remain private, so that no one in Zuultah's court could hear the sending of this thought.
*Just once, I'd like to serve a Queen I could respect, someone I could truly believe in. A strong Queen who wouldn't fear my strength. A Queen I could also call a friend.*
*Hello?*
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And this chapter is now ended. Please review and come again. Don't forget to put me on your favorite lists!
Phoenix Storms: Don't cross your fingers yet, wait until chapter 20. After that I'm going to be stuck for a while.
Shadowfax: Like the title. I came up with it before I came up with a fic. Nice to see it fits. If you like this fic I say you have to read the Black Jewel Trilogy… If your parents are Christian keep them hidden!!!
deathwraith: Thanks for the info I'm having a hard time figuring out how I'm going to make this a 1x2 and 3x4. I can't even find characters for Trowa and Quatre!