I woke up in a holding cell, my hands were shackled, an eye patch covered my right eye, I sat up on the cold hard floor. The cell I was in had poor drainage, and smelled like human waste, as I got my bearings I heard loud footsteps. Doom walked out in front of the cell, I couldn't tell if he was disappointed or angry at me.
"What the hell did you do?" He said in a low voice.
"I ran across the compound to speak with Aethenous." I said calmly.
"They're accusing you of murder!" Doom yelled, pointing down the hallway.
"I heard some people talking outside my door, one of them was from The King's Death they were talking about using me to destroy Valhallius' royal family. I panicked, and decided I needed to tell Aethenous, so I ran across the citadel, his throat had already been slashed when I entered his room." I said, trying to remain calm.
"And you think The King's Death did it?"
"I'm positive they did it, one of their assassins was in the room." I said, recalling the scene from the room.
Doom sighed and looked up, it looked like he was trying hard to believe me the story was pretty outrageous.
"I believe you, but the high council doesn't, they want to keep you imprisoned like this while they decide how to execute you." Doom said, anger filling his face, "If I did a memory probe, will the memory prove your innocence?"
"YES!" I yelled, jumping to the bars of the cell.
"Alright, it takes a lot of energy but I will be able to record the memories to an orb which I will then show the council." Doom said raising his now glowing right arm.
He placed his right hand on my head, then closed his eyes, I felt a searing pain on the top of my head that quickly evolved into a splitting headache. Just when I thought I would pass out, he pulled his hand from my head, I collapsed to my knees in the filth, then looking up, Doom was channelling the energy into a sphere then suddenly it took on solid form and dropped into his hand. He opened his eyes, then stared at the orb, he placed it in a pouch on his belt just as the guards came rushing over.
"I just finished what I came here to do." He said as the guard began ushering him away.
I walked over to the other side of my cell, then collapsed to the ground, suddenly I was exhausted, I laid down on what passed for a bed in this sewer, and fell asleep.
I was awoken the next day by the guards pulling me, violently, to my feet, it took me a moment to get my bearings. When I did I walked out of the cell, and focused on the robed figure carrying a scroll, he handed me the scroll, and directed me to follow him. He led me up to the high council chamber, inside the members were assembled, minus Aethenous, I sat in a chair at the round table.
"I'm glad you could make it Sterk." The man opposite me at the table said.
"I'm glad you decided to let me out of that filthy cell." I replied.
"Yes well, a memory probe is pretty conclusive evidence, once we confirmed it, we had just cause to release you." He said, gesturing with his hand at me.
"So why did you ask me here?" I said, staring intently at the smiling man on the other side of the round table.
"We're moving ahead with our plans, you're to be married to the princess in 3 days, right now we're going to go over your 'origin' story, and lay out a plan to establish you as a credible noble." The man replied, his smiling hiding a malicious intent.
As I stared at the man who had lead the discussion thus far, and then I noticed something, running across his right cheek was a cut. A chill ran down my spine as I realized who that man in the black robe had been, I was staring at him, he was the man in charge of the high council. I sat silent as he read off the plan the council had laid out, trying to hide my anger.
Later that day they lead me to a courtyard, the garden of the royal heir, it was a place where visiting nobles would be brought to speak casually with the Emperor. I walked into the wide open air garden, the air smelled of flowers, and was filled with the sound of chirping birds, the gentle rush of water. Sitting at an elegant table with a cup of tea was a women, dressed in an elegant white afternoon dress, her long silver hair hung loosely flowing in the wind. Her skin was pale, and her eyes an icy blue, she was probably about as old as I was, though her composure made her seem older. I felt a hand push me forward, apparently I had been standing stock still under the entranceway she looked up at me with a curiosity in her eyes.
As I approached she stared at me with a look that slowly turned to disgust, when I reached her table she had her eyes closed. The way she held her head, seemed to say, 'I am above you, and you will respect me'. Her posture was perfect, and I couldn't find the words
"Why have you brought this mongrel to my family's best garden?" She said, her voice was a beautiful tone in my war scarred ears.
Shocked out of my reverence I responded with heavy sarcasm; "This mongrel is being married to you in 3 days."
The look on her face was a mix of disgust and anger, I couldn't tell if she was angry I had just sat down, or the fact she was being married against her will, probably the latter.
"One as beautiful as you shouldn't make such faces, it's beneath you." I said, trying to sound romantic, like in the old novels I used to read.
"What would you know how I should act, or what face I should make?" She said, opening her eyes and staring daggers at me.
"Alright, I don't." I said, throwing my hands up in surrender, "it just doesn't seem to fit you."
At that moment I realized that my face was turning red, I could feel it, as well as something else a bit further down…
"Anyway, moving on, I don't really want to marry you, but if I don't they're going to throw me in a filthy cell for the rest of my life." I said, trying to change the subject.
"I'm not particularly happy about being forced to marry someone either, but they told me that you would have class, and that you were a noble from another land." She said, sipping her tea, "You do not appear to be either refined in anyway, nor of a noble descent, and the eye patch makes you look like a bloody pirate."
"Then allow me to remove the eye patch, they put it on me because of my eye…" I said as I removed the eye patch from my right eye.
"That's a tad bit better, however your manners are atrocious, and your dress is beyond unruly." She said, picking up a biscuit form a nearby plate.
"Listen, we're gonna have to spend at least the next few years together, so I think we should try and get along, doesn't have to be romantic, just needs to look romantic." I said, reaching over and picking up a biscuit, and popping it in my mouth.
The princess took a moment before answering, as though deeply surprised I had said something intelligible.
"I think that would be acceptable, considering that we do not appear to have much say in the matter." She said, nibbling on her biscuit, "However, you will need some refining, I will have the royal stylists have a look at you this evening."
"Sounds fine." I responded, popping another biscuit in my mouth, "These things are good, why aren't they bigger?"
The princess let out a sigh, her face filled with less disgust, more annoyance than before I sat down.
"They're not supposed to be filling." She responded sipping her tea.
"Then what's the point?" I said, grabbing a fistful.
"I see we have a lot to work on…" She said, sighing heavily.
I spent the rest of the afternoon getting measured by a royal tailor, the next day they bathed me, and washed me thoroughly.
Now I was standing on a small pedestal while the tailor walked around looking at my naked – but clean – body.
"Is that everything then?" I asked the woman who was looking me over.
"Yes, just about." She answered, gesturing for her aid to go get something.
"Then can I go?" I asked, "It's getting a bit breezy in here…"
"Oh lord, I almost forgot! Please put on these." She said handing me some fancy looking robes.
I did as she asked and put the robe on, she delicately tied the sash of the silken robe. Just as she finished, the princess came into the room lead by the tailor's aid. She was dressed in a simple ice blue dress, and had her hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Well, he certainly looks better than he did earlier, the stench is certainly gone." She said, walking around me.
"I am within earshot you know, I can hear what you are saying." I responded.
"I know, I want you to hear." The princess replied, "Now that we have your clothing situation sorted out, we must do something about that head of hair, even washed it is an absolute mess."
"Well pardon me, but when you're fighting a war, your hair isn't high on your priority list." I said sarcastically.
"Yes well, you are royalty now, as painful as that is for me to admit." She said, her face masking barely contained disdain, "But I suppose a break is in order."
I went back to my quarters, the sun was going down, and a cold breeze blew through the citadel. What the hell was I doing here? Why was I being married off to one of the highest ranking nobles in Valhallius when less than half a year ago I was slaughtering them left and right?
"That's a very good question, I'd be curious to know the answer." The saviour said, as he materialized behind me.
"They're up to something, and they're planning to use me to accomplish it." I said, partly guessing.
"Indeed." The Saviour replied.
"So I should just go along with it for now?"
"Based on what I've observed through your eye, they are in league with the King's Death, and bartering an end to the war, counter to what you've decided." The Saviour said, his voice almost filled with amusement, "The King's Death has realized that they have lost, and is trying to capitalize now, while it still can, however, they will be easily outmanoeuvred by you."
"Then the marriage is a part of it, they're planning on using me while I've got control of Valhallius." I replied, turning to face the mirage.
"They most likely believe that you can be controlled using the same charm they placed on you in the beginning." The Saviour said, his smile widening into laughter.
"It's not funny!" I yelled at him.
"No, no, you misunderstand, they're pitiful attempts to manipulate one with my power, it's… It's absolutely laughable!"
"Well I take it quite seriously thank you very much."
"Heh heh… Listen, we already know the corruption goes all the way to the top, the man with the cut on his face, we know for sure that he's involved with The King's Death." The Saviour replied, his laughter ceasing, "The high council of Valhallius was only established because the king is too old to rule absolute anymore, thus words that come from the ruler of Valhallius take precedence over the word of the council hence it would be no trouble at all to dismantle the council once you've married that princess."
"Then I've got nothing to worry about then."
I laid down in my bed, the image of the saviour vanished, and a jolt of pain ran through my right eye, I winced, then rubbed the area around my eye. This will all be over soon I thought, just a few more days…
The events of the day had taxed him greatly, this one, the descendent, was a handful, even harder to keep out of our business the man thought. The corridor was black, the darkness creeped from all sides, and a lesser person would've fled, but not him, he was a man of power. The cut on his face seemed to burn, the black energies of the entity ahead were slowing coiling around him, looking for a way in.
The man reached for his sword, drawing it with a swift motion, the glinting blue runed surface made the coils of black energy recede. A low hiss came from the chamber up ahead, he walked swiftly forward, coming out in the chamber of a former black dragon, long dead, it's spirit fused with that of a mortal man. The entity ahead called itself Sliske, named after a long ago banished god, it wore darkness like a cloak, thick smoke like energy rolled off its body. Its eyes were green, and saw through the souls of lesser men, but this man, the one now facing this demon, was not a lesser man. Breathing out the man knelt before the demon, Sliske opened his eyes, the green light illuminating the room with a sickly glow.
"Oedipussss, you've returned to me, what newssss of the desssscendant?" Sliske spoke, his voice a whisper in the mind.
"The descendant is as strong as we predicted, however his mind is sharper than we expected, for a man who spent his days labouring in a forge, he has a brilliant mind." Oedipus said, his head bowed before the demon.
"Bah, you did not expect him to be intelligent, but he is desssscended from the Ssssaviour, it wasss one of the thingssss you should've been mossst certain of." Sliske spat at Oedipus.
"My apologies, Lord Sliske, I am not versed in the legends as you are." Oedipus replied, a slight shiver running down his spine.
"Your fear is vissssible, I could posssesssss you now, and finisssshhhh thisssss…" Sliske spoke, standing from his throne of bones.
"My Lord, that is not necessary, the job will be done to schedule." Oedipus said, his muscles beginning to quiver, before the demon.
"Be ssssure that it issss, or I will have to take matterssss into my own clawsss…" Sliske spoke, sitting back on his throne.
I woke with a chill running down my spine, as though something bad was going to happen soon, it wasn't the first time this week. I sat up, I was drenched with sweat. I reached for the night robe that now hung by my bed, then got up and slipped into some slippers to go for a walk.
As far as I could gather it was early morning, the sun had not risen yet, but the citadel was a buzz of activity. Soldiers ran to and fro, armoured in brand new armour, equipped with the very best Valhallius could offer, battle axes and large circular shields made of various metals. I watched as the heavily armoured companies marched toward the portal, preparing to deploy to various strategic points in Gielinor. I glanced around looking for a commander to confer with, to get an idea of what was going on, I saw the councilman I had dealt with over the last few weeks standing with his arms behind his back, a sinister smile on his face. I walked aggressively toward him, his cheek was still covered with a dressing.
"What is going on?" I asked him, trying to mask my anger.
"The King's Death is making a move, we are mobilising our reserve forces to bolster our defence."
He replied, eyes continuing to stare at the legions moving through the massive spherical portal to the ground.
"Why wasn't I informed, I can help with the battle!" I yelled.
The councilman turned slowly, his smile gone, his presence sinister, evil.
"I do not have to inform you every time I want to fight a battle." He said, bolstering his presence by puffing out his chest, "And as for you fighting in a battle, that is out of the question, you barely make it by a day without having a panic attack, why would I send you out to fight?"
I gritted my teeth, he was right, while I had improved, I was still far from recovering from my ordeal with the Kings Death.
"Then I suppose the wedding will be put on hold until the worst of the fighting is over then." I said, feeling myself calming down.
"No, THAT will go ahead as scheduled, it will a major boost to morale." Replied the sinister man.
When I didn't reply, the man walked away, I wasn't even sure what his name was, but I hated him. Yet at the same time I was very thankful to him, he had given me an opportunity to start over with things, maybe even start a family. I crossed my arms and continued to stare at the legions marching by, I knew what they were in for, but as for me, I had a wedding to prepare for.
Doom drudged along the, now empty, corridors, the stronghold of Valhallius oddly quiet, and with an eerie quality to it. A chill seemed to grip the air, the shadows almost moved where the sun didn't shine. Doom gripped the hilt of his sword, he could feel something, something bad, and then his worst fears were confirmed.
Without warning blades attached to red chains flew from the shadows, and the places of darkness. Doom was able to block two of them, but the ones coming from behind him dug into his back, he felt his energy drop sharply. More blades came at him from the front, he was able to block them, but the ones from behind again dug into his back.
"My, my, you're a rather tough individual now aren't you?" A familiar voice echoed through the chamber.
"Councilman Oedipus, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Doom said, the pain in his back almost nothing compared to wounds he'd suffered in the past.
"The King's Death told me about your arm." Oedipus said, calmly walking around Doom to face him, "And I decided that I wanted it."
"Oh really?" Doom said, attempting to cut the man in half.
As he began to move, the chains drew taut, and instead of being pulled free, the blades anchored themselves into his flesh. He strained against the force of the magical chains, but to no avail. Doom relaxed, and lowered his sword, facing the man, and duelling with his eyes.
"It would seem you've done your homework." Doom said, "Though I didn't think you were a member of the King's Death."
"I'm not." Oedipus replied, "I'm most certainly working with them, but I would never join such a clan."
"So then you don't want the arm for them, but you wish to possess it yourself?"
"Exactly so."
Doom started to laugh, then began to activate his right arm, raising it above his head, sword in hand.
"You're a fool to think you can handle the power of even a lesser god." Doom said, as he swung around to cut the chains.
His sword connected with the enchanted metal and clanged loudly, sparks flying, but they didn't break. Stunned disbelief washed over Doom, what the hell? He thought, I'm stronger than them! He tried again to snap the chains, then a thick bracelet made of the same metal flew onto his outstretched right arm, pulling it down.
Oedipus walked toward Doom, smiling an evil grin, struggling against the force of the chains, Doom dropped to his knees. Another bracelet came out of a shadow on the floor and grabbed his other wrist, pulling both arms down. More chains shot from the shadows, forcibly immobilizing Doom, then pulling him up and stretching out his arms. He tried vainly to resist, but had no luck. Oedipus stood just over a metre in front of him, and yet he could do nothing.
"You're a tenacious fellow aren't you?" Oedipus said, almost laughing, "But I suppose that comes with several centuries, doesn't it?"
"Bite me." Doom replied, spitting on the man.
"Oh, don't be like that now, you're going to help Valhallius safeguard it's victory, one way or another."
Oedipus pulled a vicious looking curved red blade, with a wave of his hand the chains pulled Doom's right arm out straight.
"If you think you can just cut my arm off, then you're sorely mistaken!" Doom managed as the chains threatened to pull him apart.
"Normally I'd agree with you…" Oedipus responded, "But this is no ordinary blade."
Oedipus raised the blade, and with a swift motion, brought it down upon Doom's right arm, severing it completely.
The armies of Valhallius had marched to what was expected to be the final confrontation with the King's Death. They had routed most of them already, they just needed to strike a killing blow. That same day however, was my wedding day, while the legions of Valhallius fought, the Royal Guard stood ready, and the music played.
The fact that I was getting married at all, let alone to a princess, was still a source of contention in my mind. What had I ever done to deserve it? Regardless the decision was made, and as far as anyone was concerned I was the last survivor of the Kandarin royal family. I was dressed by the servants of the palace in a white robe trimmed with gold, and a sword of Rune. What the princess would be dressed in was a mystery to me, but I knew she would wear it beautifully, her elegance did not have limits.
I shook my head, what the hell am I doing here? I thought to myself, wiping the sweat from my forehead with my hand.
"My lord, are you alright?" The servant next to me looked worried, he was dressed in the robes of a Kandarin Knight, but he was in fact a Valhallan Marine.
"Yes, yes I'm fine, I'm just a tad nervous is all." I responded to him, quietly so no one else could hear.
"Lord Krigeren, need I remind you to use proper diction?" The man replied, giving me a stern look.
I had decided to take a new name after everything that had happened with the King's Death, my chosen name was 'Sterk Krigeren'. A combination of the ancient Fremenikk word for 'strong' and 'warrior', it seemed a fitting title for an aristocrat. I liked the first name, I had chosen it completely of my own accord, however the last name was chosen for me, I had simply not objected to it. The sun was high in the sky, and the temperature was almost unbearable, even in white robes. I didn't know how long I'd be able to stand, in this temperature.
I was standing on a palace terrace, overlooking the citadel of Valhallius, the view was magnificent. I had come here many times during my therapy. I was happy it had been picked for the wedding, it made the affair a little more tolerable.
The door connecting the terrace to the palace then flew open, and the musicians began playing. Walking forward, in an elegant white dress, was Sia Diasuke, the princess of Valhallius. As a man who had never been in the presence of true royalty (at least not peacefully anyway), the sight made my breath catch in my throat. I gulped down hard, I had also never been married before, and though events were most certainly beyond my control at this point, I still saw it as a happy occasion. As she walked forward, the minute details of the dress became more visible, and I felt my pulse jump.
The dress showed her shoulders, and was trimmed in a light blue fabric, making it seem like cool ice, the fabric shimmered in the sunlight. Her veil sparkled blue, and she carried a bouquet of ice blue flowers, perhaps native to the regions of Valhallius. When I was a child I read many novels, and some of my favourites were stories about hopeless romantics, like 'The Bachelor of Crandor', or 'Guthixian Days'. This however, exceeded even those, and it was real, not fictional. She walked down the aisle in a swift gliding motion, then she was right in front of me, the trim of her dress was in fact in a wave pattern.
Enthralled in her beauty, I failed to notice that Doom was absent from the rows of seats. The priest began reading the rites of bonding, a Fremenikk tradition, then removed her veil, beneath the fail, her hair had been cut short, and lined neatly along her chin. I felt my heart skip a beat, I let out a slow breath, her ice blue eyes stared at me with a look of resignation.
At some point or another we kissed, long and passionately, and to my surprise, I was not the one who initiated.
The last time Doom had been mortal, his whole world had been torn apart, and then he became immortal and things became a blur. Now however, he was mortal again, and he felt it, he could now age again, and his body felt frail, and weak. The loss of an immortal part means that the person will age from the age that they were when they became immortal.
Doom was centuries old, yet now he was essentially a twenty two year old man, deprived of that which made him famous. He had thrown into a dirty room, with no windows or light, in complete utter darkness, he'd had to come to terms with his own vulnerability. The door opened and light blinded him, his eyes shut he felt arms pulling him to his feet, and dragging him out of the cell. They threw him against the wall of the hallway, Doom's eyes were open now and he tried to fight back, attempting to ram one of the guards into the wall. The guard caught him, and lifted him off the ground, slamming him into the ground, Doom let out a gasp of air, his vision became blurry, and his head felt like it was split.
After the ceremony, Sia had thrown the flowers over the edge of the terrace, allowing them to scatter over the citadel. Then she lead me into the castle, and through to her chamber, the ceiling was high, and the smell of flowers filled the spacious room. She removed her dress, allowing it to fall to the ground, her naked body faced me, her face was slowly turning red.
Doom could see red, dripping onto the floor, his blood most likely, his remaining arm was chained up so he couldn't use it. The room was spinning, and he could feel the concussion, the pain he felt was almost unbearable. The man who had been torturing him grabbed his face and slapped him, when he failed to become alert, he loosened the chain and plunged Doom's head into a bucket of ice water.
Sia walked toward me, her arms at her sides awkwardly, she didn't look like she wanted to do this. I put up a hand, she recoiled at the sight, then I realized that she thought I was going to hit her. Shocked I lowered my hand, and stepped backward.
"I won't hurt you." I told her.
"Just be gentle..." She said, trying and failing to make eye contact.
"I won't do that either, it's obvious that this is making you uncomfortable."
A look of relief seemed to pass over her face.
"Please put on a robe." I asked her.
"I..." She began.
"If you don't put on a robe, I'll give you mine." I said, beginning to remove mine.
She didn't answer, so I finished removing my robe, and gave it to her, I was wearing pants after all, she wasn't.
"You're a bit more of a gentleman than I thought you were." She said, accepting the robe.
"I've had a rough go of things the last few years," I began, "and I never want to see another person hurt, physically or emotionally."
Sia seemed to reflect on this statement.
"I'll sleep on the couch."
"No, I think I'd like it if we shared a bed." She replied, this time it was my turn to turn a shade of red.
Oedipus opened the door to the torture chamber, inside Doom hung by his remaining arm, and the torturer enjoyed a sandwich. Ignoring the lumbering masked man completely, Oedipus walked right up and grabbed Doom by the neck, hoisting him to his feet. The broken man let out a gasp.
"Having trouble with the arm?" He spat out at Oedipus.
"No, but I know you have more information, particularly concerning ancient weapons that could be useful to Valhallius' cause." Oedipus said, slapping him.
"You think a little slap like that it going to hurt me?"
"No, but I suspect gouging out your eyes may produce the desired response."
The man who had been eating the sandwich, stood behind Oedipus, grinning a sadistic grin, a deep spoon at the ready.
The sun streamed in from the window, it was just about midday, Sia was nestled up against my body, sleeping soundly. It was a strange feeling, having a woman so close, wasn't the first time, that honour when to Plexus Strap, however, this was the first time it was a real woman. Pushing the thought out my mind, I started to get up, Sia stirred, she lazily rose, and yawned, she didn't look like royalty sitting there on the bed, but then she could've fooled me.
The door to the chamber opened, and a flood of servants poured into the room, Sia let out a sigh, and got out of bed, completely naked. She was whisked away by the servants into the next room, a group of male servants stood around me, presumably there to take care of my every need. The whole concept was a bit daunting, before now I'd always taken care of things by myself, but of course, I wasn't an ordinary person anymore. Yesterday I had married a princess, and thus I was now a prince of Valhallius, and the mundane matters of caring for myself were beneath. Letting out a long sigh I reluctantly stood, my silk pants from the previous day still on.
"Right this way your highness, your bath is ready." One of the servants said, they were all bowed slightly.
"I can take care of all this myself." I said to them.
"If your highness wishes us to leave him, then we will." Replied the one who seemed to be in charge.
"I'll ring if I need any help." I said, they all bowed in response and left the room.
The room was designed so that there were two luxurious bathrooms, one for each person. I entered the bathing chamber, it was filled with steam from the warm bath. I removed my pants, and stepped into the bathtub, the water felt nice, I submerged myself and sat, enjoying the feeling.
Then I was in Falador, or more accurately the ruins of Falador.
"When I came back from the war, the resettlement efforts hadn't even started yet." A man said, it was the Saviour.
"Why have you brought me here?" I asked him.
"Because I wanted to talk to you." He responded.
"What is it you wanted to talk about?"
"Your wife."
"I didn't marry her by choice." I said defensively.
"She's been beaten by her family, trained to be submissive." He replied.
He was wearing beaten armour made of white steel, his face was unshaven, and he wasn't wearing an eye patch his eye glowed blue and white in all it's glory.
"I noticed."
"You'd better not hurt her." He said.
"I'm not going to, I'm not that low."
"That's good, she was just as much forced into this marriage as you were." The Saviour looked relieved.
The image of Falador's ruins didn't dissipate though.
"I deserted my post twice during the war," The Saviour began,"I was posted to Karamja on the eve of the war, and left to get my family out of Falador before the advance forces reached it." He looked sad, "I was just barely able to get them out of the city, while the attack was in progress. My wife almost died."
"I'm sorry to hear that." I replied, at a loss for what to say.
"She was seriously wounded in the attack, and only the Mages of the first tower were able to save her."
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because I want you to appreciate the life you've gained in Valhallius."
I woke up in the tub, and surfaced abruptly, gasping for air.
"God I hate it when he does that..." I muttered to myself.
The setting sun made no difference to the muddy fields, the bloody weapons, or the continuing battle. The King's Death was losing ground, for the first time in two centuries. The optimistic energy flowing from the whole of the army of Valhallius was intoxicating.
Sterk was starting to get used to the royal lifestyle, the lack of any responsibility really made it an enjoyable experience. Sitting for afternoon tea, in the royal garden, was positively lovely, at least that was how it was described. Sterk was restless, he didn't want to continue sitting, the idea that there was a continuing war drove him absolutely crazy.
"Honey, you look distracted." Sia said, placing her cup of tea on a saucer.
"I'm just thinking about the future." I replied.
"Are you sure you're not thinking about the past?" She asked, placing a hand sympathetically on my right leg.
I leaned in close, placing my forehead against hers, "I can't help but think about what's happening down on the ground right now..." I whispered to her.
Leaning into me she replied, "it doesn't matter what's happening down there right now..."
I kissed her, trying to make it look romantic, "it does to me..."
"Perhaps you would like to move to your chambers." One of the servants said.
"I think I would like that." I replied, standing, hand in hand with Sia.
In the room we separated, Sia walked to an elaborately designed chair and sat down. She looked slightly embarrassed, her white afternoon dress extenuating her delicate physique. With legs crossed she gestured for me to sit down in the chair next to her.
I looked at her, "we're married now you know."
"I am perfectly aware of that fact." She replied, her eyes closed.
I looked at her, "your long hair looked really nice, why'd you cut it?"
"Wasn't my choice, they cut it for me the day of the wedding." She replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
At that moment a servant burst into the room, panting heavily, but trying to regain his composure. Sia glared at him, he looked nervous, and not a little mournful. Sia gesture for him to speak.
He composed himself then spoke, "your highnesses, I bring sad news, Emperor Bjork Diasuke has passed."
Sia's face went from anger to unfiltered grief, the servant closed his eyes.
"Leave!" I ordered him, frightened by the sudden snap he hastily left the room.
"They say a blind man can see the truth."
"A blind man can't see anything." The torturer responded.
"You know, I blinded myself once, but of course I was immortal, and my eyes regenerated." Doom said, trying to carry on the conversation.
"This time, you're blind permanently."
"Yes I suppose it is looking that way."
The door to the chamber opened, with a loud bang, a warm liquid seemed to cover Doom.
"Devaris, look at what you've allowed them to do to you." A voice said.
The chains immobilizing Doom were suddenly released.
"Who are you?" Doom cautiously asked.
"You don't even know the voice of your own brother, has it really been that long?" The voice came again.
"My brother died two millennia ago, you couldn't possibly be him." Doom replied, feeling himself being hoisted to his feet.
"I suppose you would assume that, but allow me to give you your sight back."
Suddenly Doom's vision returned, in perfect vivid colour, he could see the world again. Turning to the man who had saved his life, he realized in an instant, that what the man said was true. The person before Doom, was indeed his brother, Delrin Hex.