Part Two: Familiar Stranger
Again Heart awoke in a bed, but this time it wasn't familiar as the one before had been. Outside the window it seemed to be night this time, or at least darkened from the lingering mists outside. "Where am I now?" She wondered aloud as she stepped out into the torch lit hallway. She tried to remember what had occurred through her aching head. She recalled the wyvern and eggs, and fending off Shadow trying to claim them. She recalled them being safe, but without her recovered shadow she hadn't been as stable it seemed. Shaking her head she looked at the ring on her hand and grimaced, "I know I'm happy about the dragons...but I want to see you...I want to come home...How much longer do I have to be trapped away from you guys?"
Meanwhile Duke had torn through the realms with the Star Sword, finding a path leading into the mists of a dense woods. Not knowing where else to start he headed in with the star sword in hand, but...feeling a bit tapped out from using it somehow, "That's new..."
Duke wandered the mists, sticking to what path he could see and avoiding being seen by things he heard nearby.
"Heart, where are ya?" He wondered as he searched the thick forest.
As she wandered the halls, a tall dark figure emerged from the shadows. His cloak flapping behind his form, he slowly approached her, his dark hair flowing as he walked down the hall. With a smile, the pale, thin man placed a hand on his chest. "It is good to see that you are well.. Heart."
Heart turned around quickly to see the noble dressed, pale skinned man.
A bewildered expression spread over her face as she asked, "Do...do I know you?"
Heart searched her lost memories, but couldn't recall his face. Then again that was much like those she had recovered.
"Forgive me," she said cautiously, "I suffered amnesia a few years ago, and I never regained the rest of my memories it seems. Who are you?"
"Oh... how tragic..." He replied, as he drew nearer. "I am Count Orlock... your fiance, dear Heart. I have awaited you for so long, and it pains me that you have forgotten me... but no matter. I will have the ceremony ready as soon as possible."
Heart's eyes widened as she backed up a bit from him, "Fiance?!"
Heart glanced at her wedding ring, relieved to see it remaining on her finger, "I'm sorry, but memories or not I'm already married to another. I love him very dearly and need to go home to him once I recover my magic."
Heart's nerves jumped as she watched the count closely.
He gave a light laugh, as he came up to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Oh, my dear Heart... what you did while you couldn't remember yourself won't be held against you. But, you have been betrothed and promised to me. And I have been very... very patient for your return."
Heart shook her head, "I'm sorry, but promised or not I am with another man. I love Duke, and we have two children together! I can not leave them!"
Heart tried to think back to her still blurred childhood. She tried to pull from his grip.
Placing a hand on her cheek, he shook his head. "You father's word is bound. What you have done since then does not matter. I will tell the staff to get ready, and to prepare for the occasion. You will do the same. I look forward to seeing you in your wedding gown, like we talked about when we were younger."
"When we talked about?!" Heart's head was swimming, "And it certainly matters to me! Why won't you listen to me if you know who I am? I have worn a wedding gown for the one I love already! I belong with Duke!" Heart pulled away from his grasp while looking like she was about to run.
His face growing more stern, a smile returned to his face, clasping his hands together. "Now now... it seems like you need time to regather yourself." Waving his hands over her face, she would feel rather sleepy, weak in the knees. "Get some rest... you'll be very busy soon."
Heart tried to resist as panic gripped her chest. Her magic failed to emerge as she collapsed forward.
"Duke..." she breathed before drifting off to sleep, "Duke...I want to be back with you..."
Catching her, he let out a sigh, and gestured for one of his servants to return to her her quarters. "Looks like I will have to deal with this Duke fellow... I will attend to this right away."
As Heart slept she chased after her recent memories in her dreams. Ahead of her were her teammates, calling for her to come back to them and yet continuing forward without her. She called to them, called to her children, called to her brothers, and...where was he?
"Duke!" She shouted back, "Duke please find me! I want to come back home! I want to be with all of you! Guys!" Tossing and turning in her sleep this dream continued on.
Meanwhile Duke had looked ahead suddenly after pausing to try and figure out where to go. For a moment he thought he had heard her, "...Duke...!"
He turned and started running forward with the star sword still dimmed from it's use before, "Heart I'm comin'!"
He hurried through the mists, seeing a tall dark structure ahead of him now, "Hang on!"
As Duke rushed through the night-cast woods, strange creatures lurked about, sulking and sneaking around, seeking prey. A few shaggy furred beasts popped out from the mists, large and lumbering. Hefting large clubs, they encircled Duke, snarling and cackling. "Looks like we're having duck for dinner boys." One of them snarked.
Duke laughed, "Sorry fellas, but I have other plans for the evenin'."
He held out the star sword ready for a fight. Glancing up he saw a branch, shot up at it with his grappling hook and quickly leapt into a swing over their heads, slashing at one of the clubs that cut it clear in half.
The mob let out a roar, as the one with the broken club hurled what was left at the thief. Another grabbed onto the tree, and began climbing up, digging into the bark with his massive claws. His wide, toothy maw let out a deep laugh, as he ascended the tree. "Get down, you're just gonna make yourself tired!"
Duke swiftly dodged the club, backing up against the base of the tree as he stood on the branch still. He looked around quickly, seeing the gates of a castle not far from where he was.
"I won't get tired that easily, as I said I have plans for the night," he smirked before leaping over to the neighboring tree and then jumping down to the path and sprinted forward.
"Heart I'm goin' to find ya! Jus' hang on!" He breathed, knowing the star sword had brought him as close as it could.
The brute quickly darted after him, bellowing during their chase. "We're gonna cook you alive, birdy!"
Their pupiless eyes glowed in the darkness, as they pursued... and another member of this kind jumped out in front of Duke, wrapping his shaggy simian arms around the bird. "Got him!"
Duke kicked and wriggled to get free. Growling and gritting his teeth he quickly kneed the creature in the ribs, causing him to double over gasping for breath while dropping Duke to the ground. The drake scrambled to his feet and rushed by, pausing just enough to grip the star sword and shout, "Back off cretins! I've got someone to find!"
With that he summoned up the magic of the blade and swung it towards them, a burst of light shoving them back long enough for him to turn around and run. Reaching the closed gate he quickly scaled and hopped over it before running up towards the doors.
The beasts let out a hiss, shielding themselves from the bright light. As Duke ran, he could hear their furious cries and screams echo through the woods. The ancient castle door stood before him, large and imposing. While not as ornate as a certain feline's, they were more Baroque styled, intimidating in their simplicity.
Duke wasted no time in checking the lock, he heard a click with his pick in it, and then silently slipped inside. Resting the star sword against his hip with the sheath Tanya had crafted for it for him, he then continued forward with careful steps down the darkened halls. Looking around he tried to figure out where to go. There were so many corridors, long spiraling staircases, and several doors to explore. "Heart?" He whispered without a voice, "Come on love where are ya?"
Behind Duke, he could feel something coming up on him. Turning around, he saw a figure that appeared to be from a classic Gothic horror movie. Pale, gaunt faced, and with fangs large enough to sink deep into flesh, the vampire lord looked the drake down. "So... is it safe to assume you are Duke?"
Duke backed up, his hand at the ready near the star sword's hilt, "Never been afraid of hidin' my name before, an' I won't start now."
The drake watched the well dressed pale man and asked, "I'm lookin' for someone, perhaps you've seen her?"
On his other hand the matching wedding ring, but with her birthstone set on it, could be seen.
"Yes... I have heard of you. You are the one that was with Heart, correct?" He asked, raising a brow as he awaited an answer
Duke nodded while keeping his hand near the star sword still, "I am, an' I'm tryin' to bring her home." Duke gripped the hilt of the sword, ready for anything, "An' I won't leave without her."
Letting out a chuckle, Orlock shook his head, "I am sorry to say, but, she won't be accompanying you back to your home. She is to be wed to me, as she agreed, and will be staying with me. My apologizes, but, she had suffered from a loss of memory before meeting me. I promise to compensate you."
Duke's remaining eye narrowed at hearing this, "I doubt she agreed to leavin' us. There's nothin' you could give me that could compensate for the love of my life, an' mother of my kids!"
"Oh, it was long before she met you. If anything, you would be the... 'other man' as some would say. And trust me, I will find something for you. But.. she and I have a wedding to prepare for. I'd advise you head back to your home now." He smirked, giving Duke a dismissive wave.
"I'm not leavin' without her. She's happy with us in our world, an' I won't let ya take that from her," Duke assured.
The ex-thief stood his ground while trying to figure out a plan, drawing his sword, and his eye focused on the count.
Letting out a disappointment sigh, the count placed a hand over his face. "If you really must be this way... a shame, you have good tastes, but, I can not let you interfere with what has been sworn." With that, he gritted his teeth, as his mouth elongated into a muzzle. His fingers turned into claws, as a thin coat of black fur grew over his skin. His slender frame bulked up with muscle, as he let out a roar, snarling with horribly sharp teeth.
Duke stood his ground with the star sword drawn, but not glowing from needing time to recharge. He hoped it would be enough.
"Heart an' I made our own vows, an' the day I married her I swore to make her happy. She is with us! An' I won't lose her now!" He readied the blade in his hand, holding it up as he glared at the vampire.
"Your vows do no undo those spoken and written years before you came around. Now, I advise you run for pulling a blade on a nobleman, before you suffer the repercussions." He snarled out, looming over Duke.
"If she knew she had ya, why did she come lookin' to a whole other world for someone to help her?! Nobleman, prince, a god, I don't really care who I have to go through to steal her back!" Duke swore in an unwavering voice, "Besides, it sounds to me like you're makin' the choice for her. I know Heart, an' she wouldn't leave us now!"
"What do you know of her before she lost her memory... but, enough of this chatter. Have at you!" He roared, before lunging at Duke, swiping with monstrous claws, easily able to tear flesh from bone.
Duke leapt back and quickly blocked his claws with the star sword, feeling their pressure as he pushed back. Duke glared at the vampiric creature and said, "I know she was alone! I won't let her go back to that life!" Duke began to push back with a strength of his own as he spoke, "If ya really knew her back then you would have seen that for yourself!"
Unlike Duke, the Count stayed quiet, like a true gentleman, as he slashed and clawed at Duke. However, it wasn't mere bestial rage, as he slowly backed Duke down the hall was, shoving him towards a dead end.
Duke then fell silent himself, tempering his anger that had built up from that comment. Few things riled him up, but remembering how lonely she was and being asked from someone that claimed to know her bothered him. But that's where it needed to end, and he knew that. Refocusing he leapt back, felt the wall behind him, and quickly ducked down to avoid the slashes from Orlock's claws. Sliding underneath them he then slid to the side and tried to slash at Orlock from that side.
The sword cutting flesh, Orlock let out a hiss, before turning around, and grabbing Duke by the shoulders. Unlike before, he wasn't gentle, and quickly slammed him against the wall, over and over again, until he had trouble still standing.
Duke cried out as his back buckled upon the impacts. He tried to keep his strength up as he attempted to get free of the vampire's grip. He kicked and swung the blade again, but his fatigue started to claim him. Even the star sword seemed exhausted at this point. His heart burned as he tried to summon up some strength.
"Looks like I struck a nerve," he tried to smirk as he kicked Orlock square in the jaw.
Despite the blow, Orlock stood firm. Curling his claws into a fist, he raised it up, and brought it down with a heavy force, striking Duke in the head, rendering him unconscious. Orlock returned to his normal form, and let out a huff. "You were the one to draw first, you only have yourself to blame... hope you enjoy my dungeon."
Duke groaned as he opened his eye, his vision blurred from the hit before, to find himself chained to the wall a few times over. He shook his head to try and refocus.
"...Heart...?" He asked as he tried to remember where he was.
Then he looked ahead to find the count on the outside of the cell. The drake noticed his wrists shackled against the wall, as well as his legs chained to the bars of the cell.
He smirked, "It looks like ya don't want me gettin' out? It seems my reputation proceeds me still. But I promise this won't keep me from stealin' my Heart back."
He raised a brow, giving a curious looked. "What reputation? I know nothing of you, other than your the man who thinks he can break a promise made by a vampire lord and a mortal king. Just know, this is the punishment you deserve for attacking me. Enjoy your stay."
"Trust me, Heart has never wanted a prince, king, or lord. She wants a thief, an' I happen to be the one that gets her heart poundin'," Duke gave a confident smirk, "An' I look forward to seein' those eyes of hers light up when I find her."
Letting out a scoffing laugh, Orlock shook his head. "Such an ego... it would be amusing if it wasn't so annoying." With that, he headed out from the dungeon, ascending the stairwell.
Duke heard the dungeon door's lock bolt close as well as the fleeting footsteps. Then he started looking around the cell to try and figure out a plan. First thing was to get his hands free as he started shifting his hands to slip them from the shackles, feeling some of his feathers pull as he gritted his teeth.
"I'm comin' Heart, hang on," he promised as he started to pull one hand free.
Meanwhile Heart had awoken again, as though awoken by a whisper of a voice calling to her. Jumping up from the bed she started looking for a way out. At the moment she was judging the height from the window and trying to get her wings to emerge. Yet without her full magic they wouldn't come out.
In the corner of the room she noticed the wedding gown prepared for her and shook her head staying near the window.
Standing in the doorway was the tall, dark figure of Orlock, the dim light of the moon illuminating his aristocratic features, "Are you feeling better, my beloved fiance?"
Heart stepped back, "Please Orlock, I am not your beloved. I am married to someone else. Duke and my children mean everything to me, I can't leave them. Whatever was promised to you I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I promised I would go back to them." She stayed back from him, watching him carefully.
He took a moment, considering his next choice of words. "... you know... you say you won't leave them, but... they will leave you... eventually."
Heart glared at him hearing this, "No they won't Orlock! My brothers took me in, and my teammates and I stand together and always will! Duke would never leave me!"
Walking in, slowly, each step given consideration, he shook his head. "Thing is... they will have no choice in the matter, Heart. You have the blood of dragons in you, correct? Well... you are aware that will extend your life well past mortal years."
Heart's eyes widened now.
Taking this in she shook her head in disbelief, "No...I mean..." shock took over her, her hand covering her mouth as she thought of the inevitable that would occur years down the line.
Her brothers, her teammates, her thief...they would...and then she would be...where she started...wouldn't she? She recoiled, her arms folding over her chest to try and shake the lonely fear creeping over her. "Duke...guys...?"
Coming up to her, he placed his hands over her shoulders, giving a sympathetic look. "It hasn't occurred to you... has it? I am terribly sorry for being the one that break it to you... but, as one with life without end, I thought it would be best that you know."
Heart tried to blink the tears out of her eyes. The years before the team made her core ache as she feared returning to that.
"Guys...Duke..." she repeated, "It's true, isn't it...?"
Her hands covered her face as she trembled from shock, unintentionally leaning into the vampiric lord, "I can help protect them...but I can't stop this..."
Placing a hand on the back of her head, he gently ran his fingers through her hair. A grin crossed his face. "However... I know a way to rid yourself of that draconic blood...and make you anew. You won't have to worry about losing them anymore..."
Heart snapped to attention, stricken with dread as these words were offered to her, "What do you mean? How won't I lose them?"
Though she knew that's not what he meant, it was clear that's what she was more worried about. Each teammate was a part of her, entwined with her at this point, that the idea of losing them tore into her.
Letting out a soft laugh, he smiled, showing off his sharp fangs. "Worry not... I will see to it you won't have to bear that pain. But... we need a little more time, before I can do it."
"What do you mean Orlock? How can you save them from...?" It then hit her what he meant, "You mean for me to remain here don't you? I...I can't..."
Heart shook her head, "Orlock, I can't leave them still..."
Then a soft comfort rang through her as she mentioned, "And, there's Avery and Flynn, my children, that need me still."
"Yes.. they are your children... for now... and soon, they will be adults, leaving you behind for their own lives, and shortly after that... well... mortals are such tragically short lived things... stay with me, and you need not to experience that heartbreak."
"But my children have my blood in them, they will live long as I will and will need someone to help them grow strong due to that...and for Duke and the others...I..."
Fear shook her as she still took in this realization, hating her heritage more now for what would happen, "Whether I go home and live through that or remain here that heartbreak will still occur. Orlock, they have given me so much. How could I never go back to them now? How could I leave Duke like that? Knowing the pain we'd all go through from that would still break my heart." She tried to find her courage as she stood before the count, "I can't do that to us."
He narrowed his eyes, focusing on her own. "They will not live as long as you. The blood is diluted. You will see them grow old and perish. Every single one of them. Do not fool yourself in believing otherwise. It will only bring you more pain."
Heart's eyes darkened, "They will live long enough to need my support and love. As for the team, I know I can't stop it, but what time I can have with them is now more important than ever before!"
She was still afraid, trembling, but the idea of never seeing them again frightened her just as much if not even more, "They would never know why, and not ever standing alongside them again would pull me apart. Besides, how could you be okay being with me knowing my heart is in the hands of another?"
"Tell me... has he come for you yet? How long have you been here without him searching for you?" He added, keeping a calm tone. "You can stay here... with me... you will grow to love me, I hope. As I love you now. However... I will give you time to think things over..." Heading out through the door, he locked it as he left, and started to head back down to the dungeon.
Heart remained with narrowed eyes glaring at him as he left. Her hands balled into fists. When she heard the lock of the door she wiped the tears stinging her eyes and pulled a pick from her sleeve to begin getting herself free. Ignoring the aching in her heart left over from the remaining shock she tried to get the door open while assuring, "There's nothing to think over."
Meanwhile in the dungeon Duke had gotten his wrists free, and was working on the ones chaining his legs to the cell walls. He looked up when he heard footsteps approaching from the hall behind the dungeon door.
The door creaked open, as the crimson glowing eyes of the count appeared in the darkness. "I hope your stay has remained comfortable, dear guest."
"Gettin' there," Duke smirked without fear, "Back so soon to visit though? Thought you were busy tryin' to steal my wife? I take it she didn't jump at the idea?"
"Ooh... that was until I told her something neither of you considered," Coming up to the bars, he gave a stern look, "You, your friends, and your children will all die long before she even grows her first grays."
Duke's brown eye widened hearing this. Realizing what she would inevitably go through broke the heart in his chest. Yet at the same time...he realized as well. A sudden rage boiled in him as he jumped up and gripped the count through the bars, even taking him off guard if only a moment as the drake then glared at him, "Even if it's true, how dare ya mess with her that way!"
Duke's grip on the collar of his fine coat was like a vice, "Ya claim to love her an' drop that on her like that! Do ya know how long it took her to accept who an' what she was! She'll fall apart 'cause of this, an' we're not there to build her back up! What kinda monster are ya?!"
He scoffed, waving off Duke's words. "You would rather her remain in ignorance, and have to deal with it unprepared. How terribly selfish of you. I give her the truth she deserves, and needs, to make an informed decision."
"That's not what I meant, an' ya know it!" Duke growled, "It's that now she's alone without any of us to support her as she discovers this! She'll despise what she is now when she should be proud of it! Ya have no idea what you've done to her! But what time we do have...I'll make every second of it count!"
Slipping out from Duke's grip, he readjusted his attire. "Funny you think that. Now... I must prepare my bride. I have a certain gift I wish to give her... which will make her forget about the pain you will bring her." His fangs gleamed in the dim torch light, as he made his leave.
Duke gripped the bars, tempering his anger as he said calmly, "She isn't your bride. Heart belongs with us back in Anaheim, back with our teammates an' our kids. She's happy with us, an' with me. You takin' that from her will be worse than what happens decades down the line! If ya love an' know her so well you'd understand that, but ya don't!"
Before he left, he turn around, glaring at the thief. "You only knew her when she forgot who she was, when you all were able to remold her and shape her to what you desire... not who she actually was before hand. I will remind her of who she was, and she will love me."
Duke remained steady as he attempted, "No, we do know who she was when she showed us. She was alone. We watched through her memories how alone she was here, she left out of desperation. When she lost her memories she was able to have a second chance somehow. She opened up to us an' grew to love each of us as the family she no longer had here. We offered for her to seek out who she was, but she remained standing alongside us, findin' who she was that way. As cruel as it may sound to ya, losin' her memories might have been the best thing for her at the time. But here's my question, if you were there for her, lovin' her as ya say, why'd she leave to find us?"
He stopped, gripping his hand on the door frame. "I have been trapped in this castle, cursed to stay within it's walls, until she could return... I could not go after her, to save her... but now... we are finally together. And nothing will break us apart again." With that, he left, slamming the door behind her.
Duke smirked as the lock on his ankle clicked, "Looks like I got to ya a bit there."
He then got to work on the other one before getting to the cell door. While he worked on it he tried to remain calm. Taking a deep breath he thought of reaching Heart and trying to figure out what to say to her. With a click the door was open and he hurried to the dungeon door now with a heavier lock to keep him busy. With a growl he continued working on it, "Heart, selfish or not...we can't lose ya now...I know I can't..."
While Heart had long gotten out of her room and was running through the labyrinth of hallways. Fear and shock still lingered through her head as she ran. To the side she noticed her still torn apart shadow and begged for it to heal so she could go home, to them, to figure something out. No matter what the count said, Heart knew she couldn't leave them. She finally came to a spiraling stairway leading down and began her decent. Her heart pounded in her chest as she kept a quick pace, her feet in sync as she now ran down an elaborate hallway. She then burst through a large set of doors, entering a grand ball room before her.
Before she could run back out the doors slammed behind her and refused to budge open. She tried to pick the locks only for the last of her picks to break. Then turning around she saw the count bowing towards her, but not at all in the manner her memories in her heart recalled her thief doing. Both with a grace of their own, but while Orlock's was more regal perhaps, he lacked the smooth energy that Duke had always shown when addressing her. She shook her head, "Orlock please...I can't do this...no matter what you say or do, you're not him."
Coming closer to Heart, the vampire waved a finger towards her. "He matters not in this. He is an interloper who unwittingly took what isn't his to take. We were promised to each other, and I intend on keeping those vows... however, I feel like you haven't remembered it yourself."
"He didn't take anything Orlock, I gave him my heart years ago. I don't care what my past says, he and the others are my present, and my future!" Heart pleaded while standing her ground with her back against the doors now.
Bringing himself towards her Orlock looked down at the girl, shaking his head. "You gave me your heart years before you met him. We were meant to be together, despite what happened since. Perhaps I should remind you of who you're supposed to be."
Heart tried to search her memories for anything like this, anything to argue. "Orlock please don't..." tears welled in her eyes, knowing she couldn't use her magic, her shadow still in pieces, her magic still weakened from the last fight, knowing the others weren't there to help her this time. "Why won't you listen? I'm sorry about what might have happened before, but that doesn't change who I am now!...I love Duke, I love our teammates, my children...please let me go back to them...!"
"I will give you something far better... freedom." With that, he took her by the shoulders, and his fangs grew to monstrous lengths. In a quick, fluid motion he took her neck in his jaws, his teeth plunging into her flesh.
Heart tried to shake him off, pushing him back desperately, "This isn't freedom! This is trapping me here with you! Please!" She begged trying to get away, slipping from his grip finally and dashing towards the window to find a still long way down. She glanced at her shadow trying to get it to heal, trying to get her wings to emerge.
Quickly he pounced on her, with feral, supernatural strength. Pinning her against the wall, he took another bite, with the ferociousness of a ravenous beast, crimson trickling from the corners of his mouth.
Heart cried out, trying to get him off of her. Tears welled in her eyes as she felt herself growing warm and yet frigid at the same time. Finally she screamed, "Duke where are you?!"
She broke down sobbing, unable to fight back any further as she felt herself shifting in a different way. Her sapphire eyes changed to a deep red, her skin grew pale, and fangs emerged from her lips. Yet tears still fell as she begged for her thief, "Please...steal me back...somehow..." Duke had heard Heart's scream and was dashing up the stairs and halls to try and find her, "Heart I'm comin'! Hang on!"
He didn't know if she could hear him though.
She could not, as the Count swept her off her feed, and seeing she needed some time to rest during her metamorphosis to her new state of being, carried her back up to her room.
Heart still pushed herself from him, feeling weak and strong all at once. She shook her head as tears stung her face, "Let go! I don't want to be with you!"
In what were to be her chambers she finally broke free of his grip, collapsing to her knees before forcing herself up as she looked at him through pained eyes, "Why...why did you do this? No matter what you do I'll want to be with him! I..."
She then remembered just everything she had learned from Lucille, what she would crave...what she could or couldn't do...how cold her touch now felt to others...Shock hit her hard as she began to cry..."If I go near him...near them...I could..." she broke down sobbing into her hands.
"To free you. Now, while you may miss them at first, it will pass. The bond between them and you will not be as strong, so, when they eventually die... you won't hurt as badly. I am only doing this to spare you."
"This isn't sparing me! This is ripping me away from them which is far worse than enjoying our lives together! If I go near them now I could hurt them! I could hurt my children like this! This isn't freedom!" She sobbed looking up at him, "I just wanted to see Duke...to be back with him..."
"It is better this way... you will understand in time." With that he picked her, her body weakening from being trapped in it's changes, and noted that it would be safer to put her in bed himself. Thus he carried her over to an elaborate coffin, depsite her kicking and pushing against him, and placed her inside. Closing the lid before she could move, he then locked her inside by placing a single rose atop of it. From within, he could hear Heart still trying to get out, but found herself unable to move the lid. Causing her to panic, while he pulled out his saber. He knew Duke was coming.. and he was ready to make sure he wouldn't interfere.
Heart sobbed into her hands, trembling as she begged for Duke to find her...to steal her away somehow...but how could he this time?
While Duke hurried down the halls looking for her, slipping through quietly now to try and remain unnoticed by those he didn't want the attention of. His heart in his chest pounded as he felt something shifting around it. Then he knew, the magic she had placed as a shield around it...was gone. Pausing he placed his hand over his heart. "Heart...?"
And before Duke, down in the hall, with his saber shining in the pale moon light, was Orlock. "I advise you flee, leave and never return. If you continue on your fool's task, I will ensure you won't be a bother to my plans anymore."
Duke looked ahead, glaring at the vampire, "What did ya do to her?"
Seeing the drawn blade Duke drew his saber as he hadn't found the star sword taken from him. "I'm not leavin' without her," Duke swore.
"So be it." With that, he darted at dart, plunging his sword at the bird man.
Duke in turn prepared for the fight ahead, stepping forward and blocking as their blades met as he said calmly, "En guarde cretin."
As the two began their duel, Heart in her given chamber got to her feet. Looking at the pale skin of her hands she trembled. Looking to the mirror she found she wasn't looking back. And looking to her shadow...it was still there? In pieces, but there? Balling her hands into fists she started to try and figure out what she could do.
Blocked by the thief, Orlock swooped beneath Duke, making another sweep, aiming to slice at his arm. "Cretin you say? I was going to compliment your form, but, I feel that would be lost upon you now."
Duke spun around, swiftly blocking the blade as he commented, "Forgive me if I am havin' trouble thinkin' highly of the one tryin' to take my wife from me."
At this he pushed back with a fair bit of strength as he then swung at Orlock, lunging forward.
Scoffing at that comment, Orlock shook his head, sidestepping Duke's advance. "You accuse me of taking your wife, when she was betrothed to me years before you met her. And under what power were you two wed, I must ask?"
"I just did what made her happy. She wanted to be together an' I had no choice but to oblige," Duke smirked before adding, "The power of the Great Mother, the state, an' whatever else was willin' to give us it's blessin'."
Duke followed the steps before dodging another swipe and attempting again.
"Great Mother? The state? I do not recognize either, so, unless you can give me some further credibility, nor will I recognize your wedding." He coldly replied, spinning out of Duke's way, and cutting down the back of his stealth suit.
Duke gritted his teeth as he spun on his heel and blocked the next blow. He remained calm as he spoke, "Have ya bothered to ask her what she wants? Ya want credibility, how about our vows? Our devotion to one another? I vowed to make her happy an' keep her safe, an' that's all I really need!"
With that Duke managed to slice across Orlock's arm before stepping back again.
His cloak covered his arm, and despite it's flimsy appearance, it hardened like iron, and shielded the noble. Taking an opening, he slashed again at Duke, striking his hand. "I rather take my father's and her father's oath, decrees of two kings of mighty kingdoms. If that is not enough for you, that is a pity."
Duke breathed through his gritted teeth as the blade sliced the top of his left hand. He looked up in time to block again, "An' I would rather honor her oath. The vow we made. Don't ya even care about what she wants?!"
Duke stepped back to avoid a slash towards his chest, and then their blades clashed again with metal sparking.
Hopping back, he sneered. "Again, I care about who she actually was, not who you made her to be after finding her without her memories."
Duke shook his head, "We didn't make her into anythin'! She formed her own self! All we did was support her!" Duke dodged another swipe.
"Heck, if I hadn't found her that night she might be dead right now!"
He stopped, taking a step back. "... what happened, I must ask."
Duke spoke clearly and calmly, "She nearly died fightin' for the dragons of this world. When she recovered, her adoptive dragon mother told her to leave or Shadow would find her. So out of desperation she somehow made a door to my home world. That night two thugs grabbed her before I could reach her, but in the scuffle she hit her head on the concrete," Duke winced as though he were witnessing it all over again, "I managed to scare them off, tend to her wound, an' I brought her somewhere safe. There she was taken in by her two brothers." Duke held his saber out defensively still as he explained.
"I will say, I do appreciate your heroics. Your ego, perhaps not so much, but, you do seem like a good man. All the more reason I do not wish to destroy you... but, a contract was forged, and it will be resolved," He said, gripping the hilt of his blade.
"But I made a vow as I said, an' I won't fail her now," Duke said firmly with his remaining brown eye narrowing, "Heroics, good or not, I can't lose her."
He readied for the fight to come.
With that, he lunged upon Duke, taking a few feathers off of his hair. "Neither can I! I have waited all these years alone, and I will not wait any longer!"
Duke ducked, avoiding the blade before he lost any more feathers or his head off his shoulders. He reacted quickly, finally landing a hit under Orlock's arm as his saber slashed at it. "Sorry buddy, but I know she doesn't want to stay here, an' as her devoted thief I will steal her back."
Striking Orlock, the count let out a hiss, gritting his teeth. "You admit to being a thief? I can not allow her to be with the likes of you then."
With that, he pounced on Duke, raising his sword up to impale the avian man.
"Trust me, it's her choice buddy, an' she adores it," Duke gave a brave smirk.
He looked up realizing he didn't have much room to back away. If he could just slip by in time. He waited for an opening.
At the last second possible, Duke managed to drop to avoid the blade being thrusted toward's his chest. Then he quickly tumbled under the arm of the nobleman and spin up to his feet to block the following attack meant to be slashed across his back. As metal clashed with metal, sparks flew. Then there was some silence as the two glared each other down.
That is, before the drake could hear something echoing down the hall. His remaining eye widening at the sound of her panicked voice that was gradually growing softer, Duke knew he needed to find her, and quick.
With that, he pushed back just enough, and turned to run, disengaging from the duel to find her. Orlock would give chase, but at his own comfortable pace. It was clear he didn't feel threatened by this rogue in the least, and may have been letting him get away out of amused curiosity.
That is, until Duke drew close to Heart's chambers. Where they could hear her attempts had grown silent. He smiled with confidence, figuring Heart had given in by now, and was accepting their destiny, as well as his gift to her.
However, he watched still as Duke stepped into the room, looking over it carefully. The drake was bewildered to see the chamber seemingly empty. Until he noticed the coffin basked in moonlight, it's soft glow kissing the rose left atop of it. Not wasting another moment, he went to reach out to try and remove the top, finding it locked in place, but without a key to undo it. Orlock watched in furthered amusement, but said nothing.
"Heart?" Duke attempted while looking it over, before picking up the rose.
Orlock was already on the move forward when Duke did this. His steps swift and silent as a shadow in the night. His fury reaching it's peak as the drake ventured further with the wilting flower now in hand.
Duke would hear a slight hiss of rage, but ignored it to take a risk and shove that coffin lid wide open! From inside, Heart's eyes shot wide open as she gasped in alarm at the sudden moonlight she was greeted with.
"Duke?!" Heart exclaimed as she looked up at him, forgetting what had happened to her for a moment in the joy of seeing his face.
Duke quickly reached a hand to her, relieved to see her accepting it for him to begin helping her out. As she sat up, Duke hadn't noticed her changed features just yet. He was simply too happy to see her after so long, dropping to his knees and pulling her into an embrace, "I've got ya, sweetheart, an' we're goin' home!"
"You will not steal her, thief!" they would both hear suddenly as Duke was then ripped from Heart's grasp.
Before Duke could try and fight back, Orlock had tossed him against the wall, his back buckling again from the harsh impact. The drake yelled out sharply from the pain. Quickly trying to gather himself, the rogue then attempted to draw his saber in an attempt to defend himself. Yet the count was too close and quick this time to give Duke much of a chance, as the drake looked up to see his blade swiftly coming at his throat.
Then there was a flash of a shadow as Heart, wielding her glaive reformed between Duke and Orlock. She used the base to block the count's blade and then knock him back a bit, "I love this thief, Orlock! It's not your decision to make for me!"
Stumbling back, he gave a perplexed look. "You... you should still be recovering! You are in no state to be out and about like this Heart!"
"Stop trying to tell me what I shouldn't or should be doing, who I should be with, and who I am! You don't know me!" Heart's eyes, crimson and feral, glared at the vampiric nobleman.
Duke looked at Heart with his remaining brown eye widened with shock, finally taking in her paled skin.
"I knew you! I knew who you were, Heart, before you lost yourself!" He exclaimed back, clenching a fist. "I can bring you back, Heart; make you who you were!"
"Your true self!"
"My true self is his wife, the mother of his children that I chose to bare, and their teammate! I have seen who I was. I was the princess that trusted those others didn't, and that may have included you at one point. But then my family was torn apart, my home destroyed, and I was outcasted for loving dragons. Yet I continued to fight until I nearly died. Now I have the life I want because I put the trust I had left in him and the others!" Heart said defiantly.
Orlock eyed the two of them, his eyes glowing red in frustration. "You were able to escape! I have been trapped here, waiting for you to return to lift my curse! If you hadn't come, I would still be confined in my castle. I can not lose you!"
Heart stood firm between Orlock and Duke. Yet as the ex-thief watched her, he noticed her stance beginning to waver. Before she faltered he quickly caught her and pulled her close to him, "I've got ya Heart...-"
Now he saw as she looked up at him with crimson eyes. "Heart?!"
He glared at Orlock, "What did ya do to her?!"
"Freed her from the burden you brought onto her." He sneered, advancing, saber in hand. "And I will hasten her freedom."
Duke, still holding Heart, reacted quickly by blocking with his own saber, "This isn't freedom!" In his other hand he felt how frail Heart was in her new form, and...how cold her touch was. She clung to her thief as he protected her.
Raising his sword, he hissed. "Let got of her now, or I swear your suffering will be beyond what you can imagine."
"No it won't, losin' her is what would make me suffer," Duke said, "She's the one thing in my life I didn't steal!"
Heart, hearing these words, looked up at him stunned with deep red eyes. Duke quickly blocked once more while slipping Heart safely behind him. Again metal sparked as the blades met.
"Very well then... a shame, you saved her... only to take her for yourself..." The aristocrat uttered, as she took another swing.
Heart heard this and shook her head. She didn't love Duke because he had saved her. She hadn't known of that. Looking up at her thief she felt her frigid form trying to burn remembering their earliest adventures, how he'd made her smile, how he and the others had given her memories to hold when she had none. Tears welled in her eyes from pain leftover in her and her memories that overwhelmed her. "Stop it..." she said sharply, "That's not what did it! It's not because he saved me! He knows me!"
Duke looked to Heart while dodging another swipe, seeing the pain in her eyes, "Heart?"
"I knew you! We were meant to be! And he stole you away from me! For that, he will be punished!" Taking the sword in both hands, he brought it up, and went to deliver a fatal blow to Duke.
Heart's eyes widened as she saw this, panicking. Disregarding her own fatigue from the change in her, she focused and grasped Duke's hand to pull him back. With strength found in her from her new abilities, she stole Duke's life from Orlock's blade. She grasped his shoulder and pulled him back, stepping forward to try and block the blade, but wound up with her arm slashed at instead. She growled and gritted her teeth, but was quickly pulled back by Duke.
"Heart!"
She looked to him and breathed, "We need to run!"
With a swift nod Duke grabbed her hand and darted down one of the winding hallways.
As they rushed off, Orlock took a deep breath, and shook his head. "You think you can escape me... I know this castle like the back of my hand."
With that, he began his hunt, steadily giving chase.
Duke and Heart sprinted through the halls. As they did Duke noticed Heart faltering again and pulled her into a tucked away room. Pulling her against him he tried to help her steady herself.
"I've got ya Heart, it's goin' to be okay," he assured her. She looked up at him, "Duke I don't know how to fix this, how can I go home to Anaheim like this?! How can I hold our children this way...be around them-" Heart pulled away from him, "I could hurt you like this!"
Duke quickly gripped her shoulders, "We'll figure somethin' out Heart. Jus' trust me as you always have darlin'."
She tried to nod her head as he brushed the hair out of her eyes and then kissed her forehead, "I won't lose ya now love, I swear it."
Heart broke down, holding onto him as he held her tightly, "It's goin' to be okay sweetheart."
"I love you Duke."
"I love ya too Heart."
It was then he saw her injured arm and began tending to it, bandaging it as they tried to form a plan.
Orlock kept a good pace, keeping up with them, but staying just out of sight. Keeping just far enough away, he listened to them, seeing how they respond to one another.
"We need to find out if there's a way to undo this," Duke said looking over her. "Maybe there's a study or something, and I need to find some sort of record of his claims to understand what happened."
Heart nodded. It was then that Duke noticed how tired she was getting, "Heart...what's wrong?" "I...I don't really..." she did. Being around their vampiric friend often enough had taught her. "Heart?" Duke asked as she tried to back up.
Staying deathly quiet, Orlock leaned against the wall, watching their every action. Silent as the night, he observed them... seeing how they handle this situation.
Heart looked up at Duke as she had countless times before, but this time she was terrified. She bit her lower lip with her emerging fangs.
Now he understood, "Heart if that's what it takes to help ya."
Heart shook her head, "No! I could hurt you! I can't control myself! We need to find a way to fix this!"
Duke took her by the hand, gripping it, "Alright, let's go then sweetheart. No matter what it takes I will keep ya with me."
They then started down the hall again to begin their search. Heart remained at a steady pace with Duke supporting her. When her steps wavered he knelt down for her to climb up onto his back as they continued on, "I've got ya Heart."
Orlock was curious about what they would do as the searched for the study... and, wanting to see how they would react to what would be needed, he flicked his hands, the torches by the door of the study lighting up.
Duke paused, feeling how easy this was. Yet with Heart growing weaker he couldn't hesitate for long. Stepping inside he carefully set Heart down and began searching through books with her. The two of them poured over tomes and lore. When he noticed her wavering he stood at her side, a hand on her back caressing her gently, "Stay with me okay?"
Heart looked up at him, he missed her sapphire eyes already, especially as they now appeared more feral. Heart then said to him, "Duke...when he did this...my magic died...the shield I formed for your heart...if he had struck you, I would have lost you again..."
"Heart, just keep your strength up, don't worry about that. You won't lose me."
They both noticed her dimmed shreds of a shadow that still remained.
"That's gotta be a part of it," Duke said as they continued their search.
As they scoured the small library, they soon found a grimoire, filled with arcane lore and forbidden secrets... and in it, they found a section going over the creation of vampire spawn.
Duke brought it over to Heart as they began pouring over it. As they did his hand remained steady on her back when he felt her caving in, gripping the table to keep sitting up. Her fangs grew, her eyes more wild and red as she looked up at Duke.
"Heart ya need..."
"No! I can't, I-"
Duke sat beside her now, gently having her look at him as he said firmly, "Heart, if this is what it takes to get ya through this then I can stand it."
"I can't trust myself Duke!"
Duke looked into her eyes, "But you can trust me, as you always have sweetheart."
Heart felt herself trying not to cave in, but then...Duke pulled her close to him again and then tore the fabric of his collar to reveal his neck to her.
"It's okay," he assured her as tears welled in her eyes, "Whatever it takes Heart."
Heart could no longer hold back as she clung to him and bit down into his neck. Duke gritted his teeth silently as he held her. He felt her sobbing as she drank blood from his veins. So he again caressed her back as he whispered to her, "It's okay love, if this is what it takes to keep ya with me then I can take it."
After a bit he eased her off of him, rubbing her back still as she cried. Yet when she looked at him she found a charming smile as he looked at her, "I told ya you could trust me love."
"What if we can't fix this?"
"Then I'll do this, I'll do whatever it takes to keep ya with us, an' with me."
With that he embraced her as she clung to him.
Keeping close but unseen in the darkness, Orlock silently let out a sigh. Stroking his chin, he pondered if it was right to really tear them apart... but remembered his promise to his father, and the oath that was made. He was bound to see this through.
After a bit Heart felt Duke kiss the top of her head before speaking, "Let's see if we can get some answers okay?"
Heart nodded her head while pulling away him and wiping the tears from her eyes. Her energy and strength returned Heart started reading the tome Duke had found while he continued to look around close by. He then looked at the desk she was sitting at curiously, crouching down as he ran his gloved hand along the bottom until he felt something slide. Pushing it along he found a compartment and reached in to find a dusty, worn book.
Opening it he found the crest of a king on the front page, "A journal of some sort?" He got up and looked over it along with Heart now.
As they pulled the book out, the dust settled off of the tome. Cracking it open, the scent of old paper, worn leather, and dried blood. Within it's covers were eldritch secrets, bizarre forbidden knowledge, and strange writings upon the very nature of vampirism.
Duke, placing each hand at her side as he stood over her like a shield, read with her. It mentioned Heart being able to take on abilities sired to her, thus her strength before. She also learned that her nor Orlock could stand in the sun thus they would begin to burn.
The former draconic blood shook her head fearfully until Duke rested a hand on her shoulder, "We'll find a way Heart. We always do."
Heart took a deep breath and continued on.
"The king's writing?" She questioned as they found pages towards the back, pages mentioning a creature of shadow that had made a pact with the king.
"Shadow..." Heart breathed while gripping her thief's hand.
It was then that Heart looked up, her senses alerting her to something off. Then Duke spoke, "So, the plan was for them to take ya as Orlock said an' your magic would go into your shadow and gradually fade away...an'..."
"and go to Shadow in exchange for helping me to become the promised queen with his son." "There's gotta be a way to change ya back."
Further in the writings, it mentioned a gem that was able to absorb a curse from it's holder, and that perhaps it could even contain the curse of the blood sucker, but only to one who have recently been turned. It mentioned how it was kept in the king's private chambers
"But I need to refrain from drinking more blood. If I drink more than once it may not be able to change me back..." Heart noted as she read further.
"Then let's get that gem," Duke said as she got to her feet, "Shouldn't be a problem for us right?"
Heart smiled as he lifted her hand, pressed the button on her comm, and her outfit shifted to the stealth suit that matched his.
"I'd say our skills are sharp enough," Heart agreed.
Orlock listened in on them, and as they read the book over aloud, a perplexed look came over his face... They were be wed to unite their kingdoms, and because they actually wanted to be with each other... not because of this Shadow being... right? As soon as they left the study, he rushed in, reading over the tome himself.
In the tome Orlock would see the king's note of Heart appearing friendly towards his young vampire son, and thus the pact was made in earnest.
While Duke and Heart began creeping through the halls again. The drake kept a hand grasping hers while she listened carefully for anyone approaching.
As they backed up towards the wall, there was the clang of metal as they came across a suit of armor. Within it, glowing eyes appeared, as the armor stepped forward, raising it's axe, and swinging at the two.
Duke quickly drew his saber and blocked the blade as it came towards Heart. Heart drew her glaive and checked the hall for more suits that may join in. The two were back to back now defending the other from the ghostly soldiers.
"We must be gettin' close to the chambers," Duke commented with a slight smirk.
They lumbered towards the couple, maces, axes, swords, and flails in hand. Drawing nearer, they went to strike the two, but, Heart and Duke were too nimble for the possessed armor.
Duke made quick work with a couple of suits, "Reminds ya of the hunter drones don't they?" Heart gave a smirk of her own as she bashed a suit into it's partner. With the suits scattered into pieces on the floor Duke and Heart hurried further down the hall. Looking ahead they found two large elaborate doors with grand lanterns guiding the way. Both looked the door over for traps.
Looking over the door, they found it wasn't trapped... bolted tight, but, not locked. It looked like it needed a fair bit of finagling to get it open.
Duke gave a smile to Heart as he acted as though he had pulled a pick from her hair and realized she couldn't blush as she would have. He then got to work on the door, prying at the bolt and door, slipping the pick in to loosen it a bit. While Heart kept a look out for them, watching the narrow hall and noticing her faded shadow.
Emerging from the shadows at the end of the hall, Orlock appeared. At first his pace was slow, calculating, but, he quickly advanced, as he came closer and hurried to stop them from entering the chambers.
Heart's crimson eyes widened as she held her glaive out, standing to shield Duke as he heard the door unlatch, "Got it!"
He turned and saw as Heart braced for a fight, "I am not going to be yours!"
Duke rushed into the ancient bedchamber, where a bed would be laid a coffin with the lid open, a stake sticking out from a pile of ashes within it. Orlock came closer, narrowing his eyes as he glared at Heart. "I do not want to fight you, Heart. That is the last thing I want."
"Then I suggest you stay away from him!" Heart said firmly.
Duke began his search for the gem. Looking up he noticed the earliest light of dawn trying to come through and he quickly closed the curtains to keep Heart shielded from the sunlight. From there he searched for the treasure, drawing near the coffin. Heart kept a close eye on Orlock, "I am not your bride."
"Not yet... Heart... please, remember me... remember who we were.. please.." Orlock pleaded with her, keeping out of range of her.
Meanwhile Duke, looking into the coffin, from the shimmer of a crimson gem among the ashes. With his gloved hand he brushed off the ashes and picked up the gem and tucked it into the pouch of his belt.
Heart looked at Orlock with burning frustration, "Remember what Orlock? Remember how I had to run? Remember Shadow chasing me? What is it you want me to remember and why do you think it will change my feelings for him now?"
"You accepted me!" He exclaimed, stopping in his tracks. "You saw me as something more than a monster! You were my only friend for ages, and then... I was trapped here... waiting for you... I can't lose you again!"
Duke looked at Orlock a bit surprised to hear this at first, but looking at Heart it made sense. "Accepted didn't mean I promised myself to you!" Heart said, a rush of confusion building in her.
"Ya know, ya keep tellin' us ya want who she was, an' I don't think that part of her ever left," Duke said looking at the vampiric nobleman and then his wife, "It's the same side that found trust in dragons...an' saw value in a thief."
"We... we were meant to be... why did you leave me! Why didn't you come for me?! We had something together!"
Heart stepped back from Orlock, "I don't know! I was in the caverns fighting for the dragons! Then I met my teammates! I can't change that!" Duke watched Heart carefully, trying to figure out what they needed to get the gem to work, there had been a torn out page in the book, most likely the explanation.
"Yes... you met them! They warped you, molded you into what you are now! But I will save you from them, starting with him!" As he finished, he lunged forward, drawing his blade and striking towards Duke.
Heart tried to block him, but had faltered from the confusion she was shaking off. Duke drew his saber and blocked Orlock's blade quickly.
"We didn't warp her!" He growled.
Duke tried to push Orlock back a bit. While Heart turned and watched with her now crimson eyes.
Holding Duke back, Orlock hissed, his ears elongating, fingers turning into claws, and fur growing over his body. With his teeth elongating, he snarled, before giving a slash at him. "You will not take her, you wretched thief!"
Duke hopped back quickly from the claws and glanced at Heart as she watched in fear.
"I don't have a choice but to steal her back," Duke said while dodging another swipe and blocking again with his saber.
"Duke please be careful..." Heart breathed.
Growing more feral with each attack, the skin between his fingers webbed out, forming small wings, as his back hunched over. His nose turned up and flattened, as he let out another hiss as he continued his assault. "I will rend you to bits! I will destroy you utterly!"
"An' then what? You'll keep her trapped here? You'll watch as her heart breaks?!" Duke glared at him while slashing at the vampire's arm, landing a lucky hit. While they fought they grew closer to the window.
Grabbing Duke by the shoulder, Orlock slammed him against the wall, snarling in his face. "You horrible, arrogant fool! I will... " His eyes narrowed, as he realized how they were getting close to the mirror... he could survive in the sunlight for a short time, but, a freshly turned vampire on the other hand... with that, he reared his head back, revealing a pair of terrible fangs, and went to dive them right into the duck's neck.
Duke saw this and quickly punched Orlock in the jaw, knocking him back with a bit of adrenaline in his force. He then stepped to the side, sliding closer to the window still.
"Duke please!" Heart said fearfully, knowing her heart should be pounding.
Letting out a growl, Orlock backed off from the sunlight... but grabbed a nearby shelf, and hurtled it at Duke. He may not be able to enter the light, but, he can still proceed with his attack.
Duke leapt to the side, rolling out of harm's way along the floor as the shelf went through the window, shattering it.
"Heart back away now!" Duke shouted quickly as light crept into the room.
Heart reluctantly stepped back into the hallway, watching from the shadows of it as the fight continued.
As the shelf shattered, it was quickly followed by a wardrobe, breaking to pieces before Duke... and blocking the window. Taking this chance, Orlock flew, and tackled Duke, clawing and scratching at him.
Duke was pinned as he was focused on Heart's well being. He kicked and struggled to get free as he tried to get the upper hand. The window now mostly covered still had a bit of light piercing through. Duke noticed and used some strength to slide Orlock's shoulder into that light.
"Ya say ya care for her? Ya say ya know who she was? Ya don't care what bein' trapped here will do to her!" Duke growled.
He cared not for words anymore. He simply wanted to be gone of the thief. He continued with his feral rage, only pushed further by the burning across his back. Bearing his teeth, he jumped to the ceiling, and scurried over to Duke above him, and went to grab him up, scooping him up to toss him around again.
Duke felt his back buckle upon impact against the wall, crying out a bit. Heart watched in horror as he quickly slid down and rolled out of Orlock's grasp this time. Then he heard her crying his name as he was grabbed again, this time by the throat and pulled up.
Yanking him up so they could be face to face, his voice was warped, more like beast than a man's. "For a mortal, you can take quite some punishment. You should've left when I told you too. You have nobody to blame but yourself for what will come now."
"I love her...an' I'll keep...fightin' for her...no matter what...it takes...!" Duke choked out while trying to get free.
Heart's eyes welled with tears before looking to the window. Those same eyes narrowed as she darted towards it while the two were distracted...or so she thought...
"Heart...?!" He attempted.
Bracing herself she shoved the broken wood aside and tore down the curtains with her glaive as the sunlight flooded the room and hit the three of them.
"Heart!"
Orlock let out a wailing cry, and he tried to block the light with his wings. Fire began to spark over his body, before he went to flee, scurrying back into the castle.
Duke fell to the ground, but quickly scrambled to his feet as he rushed over to Heart. As with Orlock, fire began to ignite over her. Shielding her from the light coming from the window, Duke swept her up and hurried out of the sunlit room.
The fire now put out Duke dropped to his knees holding her close to him, "Have ya lost your mind?! Are ya tryin' to get yourself killed?!"
"He was going to kill you! I had to do something!" Heart shouted back.
Duke looked over her soot and ash touched face, letting out a fearful sigh as he brushed it off of her, "Heart..." he then hugged her tight.
After a moment or two he pulled away to retrieve the gem from his belt. Handing it to her he said, "We just need to figure out what to do with it."
"I'll go back in there an' find that missin' page, please stay here away from the light."
Finding a safe spot in the castle, hidden away from the light, Orlock licked his wounds. Reverting to something more like a human form, he outstretched a hand. "... come to me... Heart... come... my love..."
Heart felt the blood in her being beckoned, though some of it tried to resist...the blood she had drank...but none the less she followed this request unwillingly.
"Duke..." she attempted while he searched the chamber with the door closed to keep the light off of her.
Soon Heart would find Orlock and grip the doorway to keep from approaching him. Fear gripped her, her burns stung from before, a feral hunger had begun creeping in but she ignored it for the moment.
"I am not your love..." she said sharply still in her stealth suit of burgundy and black...like his.
Scarred from his encounter with the horrible light, he hid in the shadows, beckoning her towards him. "Please... we are the same now... we can be together forever... that is something he simply can not promise you... our love will be eternal in a way his simply can not ..."
Heart stood trembling as she faced him, "You made me this way. You condemn him for shaping me, molding me, warping who I am. Yet you actually did it. They never did that to me. They pushed me to form my own sense of self. ...and you want me to forget that? Forget them? My children? Duke?"
He took a moment to reflect on this... to really think it this.. "... You rather be with him... than with me..."
Heart looked him in the eyes, "It's not about him over you. We may have been friends once, and I am sorry you were told a promise that I do not know of. Even if I did know, I did not make it."
Heart shook with the hunger forced upon her, sensing his blood drawing near and gripped the door frame to remain steady. She could see her shadow was all but faded, her magic almost dead and sent away. Soon she would have no choice.
Letting out a deep breath, he came to her, and took out a dagger. Pricking his figure, he gestured for the gem. "I can undo this..."
Heart's eyes widened to hear this. At the same time Duke hurried in after. Seeing the dagger and Heart reaching for the gem at her belt he watched carefully, reading the surprising calm of the room. Heart sensed his blood so close, looking to her thief with a wild fear in her eyes. Then she shoved the gem into Orlock's hand, "Please...! I don't want to hurt him!"
Duke hurried to her and pulled her close to him, gripping her by the back of her head carefully to keep her steady and from biting him, "It's okay Heart..."
He dabbed a drop of his blood onto the gem, and handed it back over to her. "It will take the curse off you... and be destroyed in the process... after you turn back, go, and leave me be..."
"Actually friend," Duke commented genuinely as Heart took the garnet from Orlock and gripped it tight as it burned in her grasp. Noting her form beginning to shift her thief quickly swept her up and began carrying her.
"There's somethin' ya need to know an' see." Duke gestured for Orlock to follow safely back up the hall a bit.
Hesitantly, he followed after Duke, keeping a good distance behind them. "I do not understand what you wish to show me in my own castle..."
"The mists are what trapped ya here right?" Duke asked while carrying Heart, "Well it seems that the sun breakin' through are a strong signal that those mists have broken away...perhaps this is why?"
Duke showed him the view from a safe distance and then produced a folded up torn paper for the prince to lead.
"Shadow is the one that cursed ya, not Heart's family. When he didn't get what he wanted right away he trapped ya here, an' the only thing that could help was you helpin' her somehow, not the other way around. Not that Heart wouldn't...but it seems the mists began to fade when ya brought her to safety last night."
"Shadow was countin' on your father twistin' the truth sadly so that he could still claim her here. He would get her magic an' then both of ya would be trapped here," Duke explained as Orlock read the truth for himself.
"So... you tell me I was being played like a fiddle then.." He said, as he looked over the missing page. "I... I am terribly sorry... for all that I've done to you two..."
Duke shook his head, "Shadow is relentless, an' he's gettin' desperate at this point."
He looked over Heart now unconscious in his arms as she changed back. He gripped her hand in his as she held the gem, "Just a bit longer Heart...hang in there..."
Duke then looked to Orlock, "I saw the Heart ya knew once, the princess this world barely knew. She put her trust in those many would leave behind. That has not changed, only her title an' home. I know Heart would have considered you an allie...you an' I would not be the strangest ones in this..." he gave a slight laugh.
He raised a brow at that last comment, and let out another deep breath. "Well.. none the less... you may rest here, if you wish.. I will leave the two of you alone."
"Thank you..." Duke said before carrying her to her temporary room.
There Duke rested beside her on the bed and held her as she shifted, her flesh gaining color again, her fangs disappearing, and her features transforming back. He could feel her warmth returning and hear her breath as she rested beside him. Knowing it was safe he drifted off to sleep until late into the evening.
Duke opened his eye when he felt Heart move in his grasp. Looking to her his heart skipped a beat to see her open her sapphire eyes. He smiled at her, "I've missed those eyes sweetheart."
When she blushed he laughed softly, "An' I've missed that too."
The two of them embraced each other.
Then they ventured out to find Orlock and retrieve the star sword from him. Heart stepped carefully towards him when they found him, "I had a dream as I changed back...perhaps the memory you clung to...we were children in it...While there was no promise of marriage from us, I saw the friendship we began to forge."
He was quiet for a moment, and gave a weak smile. "... perhaps, we can reforge it.. if you can forgive me."
Heart smiled and glanced at Duke as she laughed softly, "As long as he's still breathing I can." Duke folded his arms over his chest smoothly, shaking his head as he laughed himself, "Surprisingly."
Heart looked to Orlock, "I know you are worried about the future ahead of me, but I will make every moment of our life together count. And...I know I will have a friend to visit here to share stories with. Someone to watch over our descendants that may choose this realm one day?"
He gave a slight bow, and nodded. "It would be an honor."
Heart smiled, and then offered a hand to him to shake. When he took it she gave him a quick hug, "If I had known, I would have come to help you sooner..."
She then stepped back as Duke walked up beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder, "I told ya we didn't change anythin' about her..."
Looking back on that single memory, Orlock could recall a young dragon sitting beside the princess he'd met...a princess reading a book about adventure, magic, and an unexpected rogue as a hero...
He returned the hug, and looking over Duke, let out a soft laugh. "Heh... suppose I should've saw it coming... but, why this one in particular?"
Duke gave a smirk while Heart looked a bit bewildered by this comment. Then she smiled once more as she answered looking to Duke, "Duke was the thief no one, including me, saw coming, and..." she blushed softly, "and I couldn't help but give my heart to him..."
"I tried to tell ya friend," Duke chuckled before offering a hand in peace to Orlock, "No hard feelin's I hope?"
He gave a nod, and shook Duke's hand. "None at all... just treat her well."
"Of course," Duke swore before firmly adding, "An' I promise both of ya, Shadow will soon answer for all that he's done. I will steal her from the fate he has in mind for her."
Duke then turned to Heart, pulling her close to him as they looked out the window at the rising full moon, almost as though a vow had been formed beneath it. As most of their vows were it seemed. Even before when they started as familiar strangers.
