Two
Two hours, actually, is how long it took Maria to jury-rig a wagon and cart the Werewolf's head back to Safiria's castle. Once she got back, after dragging the broken wagon the last few feet, she found the queerest of sights. Standing on either side of the road, blades held out above their heads, was a line of vampires, standing at procession. "Whazzis?" She asked as she saw the display. Walking down the path, arms at her waist, was Safiria.
"It's a celebration. In your honor." She spoke simply. She clapped lightly twice. "Maximillion, take the trophy to the trophy room, and have it hung from the highest wall." Maria watched a very sour-looking Maximillion growl something that sounded vaguely similar to 'Yes, My Queen', and do as instructed. "Please, Guardian, tonight is a night for you to ask anything you like of me." Maria thought for a while. Killing all those Werewolves sure had her work up a hell of an appetite.
"Ya know... I could sure go for a sandwich right about now." The first two Vampires in the line, along with Safiria, couldn't help but laugh at her attitude about the whole thing.
"I shall have the grandest sandwich made for you, Maria... but I hardly consider that a worthy request to make of the Queen of all Vampires."
"Two sandwiches, then." Maria smiled. "No, but seriously, you don't have to do this for me."
"I insist." Safiria spoke, placing her hands on the Guardian's armor. "You have done so much for me this night, and you have asked for naught in recompense... I must give you something in return... Perhaps you would be willing to think on it... over night... perhaps..." How she said those words... 'over night', they were so... seductive, so full of meaning.
"We've been over this." Maria mused once more, following the enchanting Vampire Queen into her castle, the guard following two-by-two as they entered. "I have a boyfriend."
"Yes, of course..." Safiria mused, biting a knuckle gently. As they entered the castle, the coterie of guards filed around the room, forming a circle around the two. Safiria stood in the center of them all, and spoke. "My brothers and sisters in blood... tonight, a very special person has won us a great victory. Though it should have certainly been her death... Guardian Maria Despair valiantly charged into Death's grasp and secured us supremacy over Darkovia..." The room erupted into cheers as blades danced in the air. "Tonight... I would order you to treat Guardian Despair no differently then you would myself. Though she is human... she has shown valiance and fortitude above her station... and I would have each and every one of you follow in her example." The assembled vampires bowed deeply, and a chorus of 'Yes, My Queen' arose from each pair of lips. She pointed to a female Vampire near the stairs.
"Annabelle... bring the finest caske of wine from the cellar." The female vampire bowed and went to the kitchen. Safiria deftly pointed to a male Vampire. "Edwardo, see that a grand feast is prepared in the Guardian's name tomorrow!" Edwardo bowed and went to his task. She pointed to a second female vampire. "Buffy... see that the guest bedroom is prepared for the Guardian's stay." The woman named Buffy bowed, and zipped up the stairs in a blur.
"What 'stay'?" Maria mused. "I did the thing I came here to, I can go, right?" A pale, thin arm reached into the pocket of her dress, retrieving a very familiar piece of parchment, and with a soft tone, began to read.
"Queen Safiria of the Vampires..."
"Oh, don't start reading that. 'They are to stay with you as long as needed', I got it!" She huffed, taking a seat on the couch. "Artix just stuck a ten foot long pole up my bum, I just know it..." Safiria smiled gently and returned the letter to it's place in her pocket.
"You have done us all a great service, Guardian. The least you can do is bask in your own glory for a time..." She traced a finger down the heavy plate mail chest piece. "...you've earned it..."
"You are really trying to get in my pants, aren't you?" Maria mused at the obvious advancement.
"I don't chase unworthy prey..."
"I'm prey now, am I?"
"In a sense..." Safiria's ruby lips curled into a smile. "You get to live like a queen for as long as you wish, Guardian... I know of few women who would turn down the offer..."
"I'm not turning it down, per sa..." Maria mused, looking about at the vampires obliged to attend her. "I'm just not used to it..." Safiria stood and crossed her arms.
"Well then. Time to change that." She clapped twice. "Licca, Nina, Reena!" The three named female vampires stepped out of the circle. "Help Guardian Maria out of her armor, and have it stashed away." Maria blinked at this.
"Have my armor what now?"
"Haelga! Retrieve a dressing gown from my wardrobe, and assist Licca, Nina and Reena in helping Guardian Despair into it.
"Put on a dressing what now?!" The named Vampires went about their business, the three working on the Guardian's armor, while the fourth went upstairs for the gown. When Licca's pale arm reached Maria's sword, a finger stopped her. "That stays where I can find it." Licca bowed and unhooked the sheathe from the Guardian's belt, seeing the crimson-bladed sword sitting in a place of honor above one of the fireplaces. Safiria clapped twice more.
"Charlotte, Mami, Harema. It's time to ply your trade." The three mentioned vampires perked up at those words.
"Yes, My queen!" They spoke in unison. "We've not danced in some time!" One of them finished.
"Wait... 'danced'? As in like... dance... or dance?" Safiria only smiled as the three retreated upstairs. Maria's head spun at this sudden development. This is one of the reasons she joined the Guardians, to help people and be thanked for it... but honestly? A simply 'Thank you, Maria' was enough... all of this... whatever 'this' was... was just too much! "What are you planning?" Maria was growing concerned now, but more of a 'I don't like where this is going but in a strange way I kinda do' fashion.
A few moments later, just about the time Haelga returned with a vibrant alabaster dress in her hands, Licca, Nina and Reena had managed to strip all of Maria's armor away, leaving her in only a white tanktop and brown shorts, her tan skin; devoid of any blemish or scar, was a strange sight to behold past the wall of pale that were the assembled vampires. Haelga held a hand out to Maria, taking her arm in a light, but firm hold. "Please, Mistress... this way." Maria was still trying to wrap her spinning head around everything as she allowed Haelga to take her upstairs to a free bedroom (which, judging by the fact a female vampire was busy at work replacing sheets and putting small drinks onto a table was to be Maria's guest suite), where she, along with the other three, proceeded to remove even her underclothes with frightening speed and guile.
Maria would emerge ten minutes later, standing at the top of the stairs looking a little perplexed. She was donning a beautifully flowing white dress, small sequins glistening in the torchlight, her long, slender arms covered in beautiful gloves. Her blonde hair was gathered behind her and pinned into an ornate bun, while her eyes and lips were accented with black mascara and ruby lipstick. She looked every part of the Queen Safiria was. The amber-eyed vampire gasped as she saw the Guardian dressed as such, watching with bated breath as she took her first steps down the stairs (much to Safiria's surprise and joy, she didn't trip).
"Oh my... you look divine!" Safiria poured on the praise, looking her over from head to heel.
"I look. Exactly like I feel..." Maria answered, careful not to offend. "And I feel ridiculous."
"Oh, posh and nonsense." Safiria responded simply, waving her concern away, walking about the white beauty with a discerning glare. "I have seen ridiculous, and you are not she... You beam with the light of a thousand full moons... you twinkle with the radiance of a sky's worth of stars... and your walk..." She smiled as the Guardian took more steps towards a chair, her stride less manly and more refined. "Even your legs have adopted a new lease on life... look how they shimmy... and look how your rear..."
"Don't you be lookin' at mah butt, girl." Maria responded simply, covering said rumpus with both hands. "That's mah butt." Safiria covered a dainty laugh with her hand, sitting next to Maria.
"And what a wonderful rear it is."
"Wow, you are comin' onto me hard tonight, aren't you?" Safiria said nothing, satisfied only to smile as Maria continued her 'rawr me so straight' charade. Few mortals could resist the Vampire Queen's allure... and Maria was no exception. A strong voice cleared his throat from the top of the stairs which... now that Maria noticed, the chairs they were in were facing the stairs... those weren't there when she was pulled upstairs...
"Ladies of the court." A powerful voice called, the vampire at the stairs drawing Maria and Safiria's attention to him. "May I present to you, three of our generation's greatest theater performers, preforming a rendition of Alex Louis Trachnar's classic ballet, The Frogzard Prince." Ballet. Okay. Maria wasn't the most cultured of people, but even she enjoyed a good ballet once in a while. Especially after that scare earlier. When they said they hadn't danced in a while, Maria instantly thought they meant a more exotic dance. At least it was something classica-
Why are they not wearing clothes?
No. Seriously. Why are none of them wearing clothes?
Maria was rooted in her seat, unable to peel her eyes from the display before her. The way these girls moved... each curve, each supple undulation of their muscles. Each motion was pure poetry. Before she could even react, Maria had sat through the entire hour and a half production of the Ballet. When it was done, and Maria had managed to recover from the display, a single word left her mouth.
"Whoa..." Safiria smiled to Maria, her pale arm caressing Maria's leg through the dress.
"Think... my dear... sweet Guardian. They know nothing of you, yet here they stand, naked and exposed before you. Think of what kind of fun you could have with this? Think of how you could spend a night... Or a lifetime...?"
Maria looked to Safiria, this time with a different glare, her blue eyes shimmering in the low torchlight.
"A lifetime... an eternity, you mean."
"Of course... think of the kind of good you can do in a lifetime spanning time itself..."
"Think of the madness I'll have. Seeing all the people I love dying before my eyes... if I don't turn into a hardened, heartless killing machine by that time, I'll go medically insane."
"Not all..." Safiria continued, her hands on Maria shoulders now, caressing them gently. "Just think... you and I... alone and in love for eternity. Watching as time goes by..." Maria sighed.
"It's a fine line between 'in love' and 'hanging on the end of a leash'." Safiria scoffed at this, rubbing Maria's chest now, just under her neck.
"I would never leash you, sweet Guardian. I could give you eternal life... eternal beauty." Maria's ears piqued up.
"You drive a very... very hard bargain..."
"I will make you a standing deal." Safiria began, Maria blinking and nodding to her. "I wish for you to stay with me two days and three nights. If, by the dawning of the third day, you continue to resist me... then you may go free. However... at the first sign of falter... if you say you love me, if you fall into my arms, if you ask to spend eternity with me... then you have lost, and you shall do just that."
"That's it. Hold out for three days?"
"Yes."
"No stipulations?"
"None."
"No giant, killer moon with a sinister sneer falling on me?" Safiria laughed.
"No, silly." Maria paused, thinking.
"Ya know... kinda hard to make a standing offer with you sitting down and all..." Safiria rolled her eyes with a chuckle.
"Make your choice."
"And if I say no?"
"Then you will stay here until you die... but I shall not attempt to seduce you."
"Oh, that's not much of an offer." Maria nodded. "Very well, then. I accept your offer." Safiria stood, a brilliant crimson smile adorning her lips.
"Then the game is on, sweet Guardian. I shall begin tomorrow."
"I'll be waiting." Maria was confident. She was trained to withstand many types of torture, both physical and mental. How hard would lasting three days against the Vampire Queen be? She smiled sweetly and offered Maria her hand. "Shall I show you to your room, Maria?" Maria looked at the offer, then returned the smile and took her hand.
"Sure. Thank you." With a nod and a little hum, Safiria showed Maria up the stairs. The Vampire Queen's strides were long, but proper; almost as if every single motion is thought up decades in advance. Her pale fingers were intertwined gently, but powerfully in Maria's, her unusually warm palm a strange comfort to the Guardian.
"You'll find your armor stored in the guest bedroom, here." Safiria finally spoke as they neared the lavish door which was the entrance to said guest bedroom. "Though it is unlocked and free for your use, I would ask you at least do me the pleasure of wearing that beautiful dress to dinner. I would be loath to see such radiant beauty go to waste."
"I thought you said you were going to wait until tomorrow." Maria looked at her with a smirk, Safiria only giggling and nodding.
"Just making a statement." Safiria stopped at the threshold of the room as Maria continued. The Vampire Queen folded her hands neatly at her waist and stood like a statue. A slender arm reached out and took hold of the heavy wooden door. "Good night, sweet Guardian. If ever you find yourself in need of something in the night, simply ring the bell, and one of my servants shall attend to you." She motioned to a small silver bell by the bed, then nodded and bowed as she shut the door.
"Good night... your highness." Maria spoke simply as she looked at herself, the door shut. "Now... how in the blue-monkey hell do I get out of this thing...?"
-The Next Morning-
Maria was woken from a rather amusing dream about strangling that idiot who got her into this, by a small, almost meek knock at the door. She would not have heard it, had it not been for the fact that no other sound leeked into the room, not even the pleasant sound of birds chirping outside her window. "M'lady Maria?" Came a voice. It wasn't Safiria or... any voice for that matter that Maria recognized. The tone was soft, almost in reverent awe as it bled through the heavy wooden door. "Queen Safiria requests your presence in the banquet hall, at your earliest convenience..." The voice continued, seeming to get smaller as she spoke.
"Ugh..." Maria groaned to herself, so soft she could barely make it out herself, she was confident whoever was on the other side was none the wiser about her groan. "A-alright, tell her I'll be there in like... five minutes... once I wake up..." She looked out the window, knowing full well she had slept a full eight hours (due in part to her state her hair was in), despite what the darkness outside said. "I hate this place... dark everywhere..."
Maria took the allotted five minutes to wake up, fix her hair, and dress in her shorts and tank top, decided to only wear that damn dress to dinner. As she stepped out, she came face to face with the young woman who called her earlier, a girl looking no more then about fifteen, though her pale skin and sharp fangs, she had to be an older vampire. The woman bowed awkwardly and chuckled to herself.
"Good morning, Lady Despair."
"Please don't call me that. Maria is fine."
"Good morning, Lady Maria." Maria rolled her eyes. Everyone's a yuckster...
"Just Maria, if you would. So... where's this Banquet Hall?" She asked, the girl smiling and motioning her to follow.
"Follow me, if you would." Maria fell in line with the young vampire and followed dilligently, eventually coming to a grand hall, a long banquet table set up and set. It looked able to seat about ten people comfortable, maybe fifteen or twenty if you really crammed them in. The chairs at the heads of the table were removed, Safiria seated at the far end of the table, looking expectantly at Maria as she entered. Safiria herself was dressed rather casually, her usual regalia replaced by what could almost be described as a house dress, plain patterns dotted the fabric as it danced elegantly across her body, her long raven hair was pulled into a bun as her eyes lit up upon Maria's arrival.
"Good morning, sweet Guardian." Safiria cooed, offering her hand forward to the seat adjacent to Safiria. "Please, you're just in time for breakfast."
"Awful lot of trouble to go to just to feed me... I could just raid the pantry for some bread and whatnot."
"Oh please." Safiria stabbed a piece of sausage deftly and bit into it. "Just because I'm undead... doesn't mean I can't eat too, you know." She smiled as she chewed, then re-offered the seat. It would appear as though the Guardian's stomach answered for her before she could, roaring and swearing at her in unintelligible growls to stop looking a gift horse in the mouth and freaking eat something. Finding her way about the table, Maria took the offered seat and looked over the offered food. A large bowl of scrambled eggs, a large platter of sausage and bacon, and more then enough pancakes to kill a whale were what was on the menu.
"Damn... you pull out all of the stops, don't you?"
"With a guest like you, my sweet Guardian, I would be fool not to." Maria chuckled a bit. Though it was disturbing that Safiria had taken this much of an interest in her for almost no reason at all, she did have to admit the recognition was fantastic, and she wouldn't mind just living the life for a bit longer, until she wins Safiria's little game. As quickly as she was to reach for the eggs, a flock of vampiric servants descended upon her and attended to her, giving her as much of whatever she wanted. "Gotta admit, I do like the attention."
"You could have it at all times." Safiria mused, picking up the goblet at her side and taking a drink.
"You'll have to do better'n that." Came Maria's response, Safiria simply bowing her head ever so slightly. Maria felt as though the Vampire Queen was simply poking at the Guardian's defenses, see how far into her she could get before getting a reaction.
…
Judging by how her thoughts derailed like that, Safiria was winning this little bet, without even trying much. The two spent breakfast sociallizing like a civilized pair, Safiria asking if Maria could bring her up to speed on some of the events outside the forest.
"I've been holed up in this forest for so long, you see, I'm afraid the world will evolve without me, and I'll be left behind..." Maria understood this, and told her a few things that had happened recently.
"Well, not much I'm not sad to say. There's some rumbling from the Dragonspine Mountains about Drakkonan gathering his power or whatnot, but the sheer number of times he 'comes back', I'm surprised he doesn't have a huge sign over his lair saying 'giant asshole here'." Safiria laughed at this. She found the Guardian amusing.
"You really are a witty one." Maria simply shrugged and smiled back, thanking her for the compliment. Safiria seemed content to simply watch Maria eat, stabbing ever so often at her food, just to give the illusion she was eating.
"What about you?" Maria finally spoke after she grew tired of being watched as she ate. "Does the Queen of the Vampires do anything for fun, seducing maidens in a dark alley aside?" Safiria laughed at this to.
"My dear, I don't seduce maidens in dark alleys..." Safiria mused, Maria seeming content with this as she took a drink from her own goblet. Mmmm. Milk... "I much prefer doing it in the bedroom."
Gag. The drink came back onto the Guardian, catching in her throat at the words. She should really not be surprised with this girl anymore. She screams 'raging nympho with a hard-on for blood', but she was just so... innocent in how she said things. After finally managing to swallow, Maria coughed out the last drops.
"Whoa, too much info there, your highness." She spoke between coughs. Safiria simply shrugged and continued to wear that perfect little smile, then responded:
"You asked..." Drinking from her goblet, Safiria gave Maria a second to recover before continuing. "...to continue to train of thought though, yes... there are some things I do for fun. Haven't had much time for them since the War started, but... now that that's well and over with, I don't have to concern myself with those fuzzy bastards..." She covered her mouth with two fingers. "...excuse my language... anymore." Maria couldn't help but raise her goblet to that.
"I'll drink to that. Werewolves are nothing but trouble."
"I see a kindred heart beating within you, Guardian. Tell me, how is it that you escaped our loving family for so long?"
"Call me lucky, I guess." Maria responded with a disregarding shrug, to which Safiria returned.
"Lucky or unlucky, I suppose. Both would work." Safiria watched as Maria finished her breakfast, drinking the last of her goblet. "Did you enjoy your breakfast, sweet Guardian?"
"I did." Maria paused for a second. "Say... you didn't..."
"Spike it? No, my dear. I said I would win you without tricks, and I intent to hold my end of the bargain." With a satisfied nod, Maria leaned back in her chair. "So, Maria... do you wish to play a game? Something to pass the time?"
"No Truth or Dare." She stated firmly, Safiria laughing.
"Of course not. Do you think me so juvenile?"
"No... just covering my bases... last time a girl tried to get into my pants, they wanted to play Truth or Dare... didn't work then, won't work now."
" 'Last time'...? Is it common?" Safiria was genuinely interested... was her attraction to the Guardian magical in nature, or did she just have some charisma?
"Yea... can't seem to get away from all of the bi's in Battleon... surprising number of them you'd never guess." Maria inhaled, re-railing her conversation topic. "But yea... I get asked on a date by a woman like... once a month."
"Really? Do you know why?"
"If I did, I wouldn't be asked anymore, now would I?" Maria responded with a shrug.
"Sometimes, the ability to attract the same gender is as much a gift as attracting those of the opposite. You should not be so quick to squander your gifts, sweet Guardian."
"You know..." Maria spoke once more, changing topics. "Earlier, before I won that little tournament, you seemed awfully cold towards me, very professional... now, it's almost like you're another woman... what happened?"
"Can I venture to be completely honest, Guardian?"
"I'd prefer honesty, yes."
"Honestly, sweet Guardian... I sent you on that task... not expecting you to survive... and by all accounts, you should not have survived. The Flesh-Rend was a well-known Lycan amongst my people. He has, single handedly, slain more vampires then I can readily recall. Your defeat of him is... astonishing."
"You sent me to my death?"
"Not in the purest of definitions, no. I had intended on you wounding the Flesh-Rend, and by that extention, the Werewolf King's confidence in his skills. If you had wounded the Flesh-Rend, even the most glancing of blows, it would have been a hit to his ego. He would have begun questioning all of his military moves, and it would have provided the right opening for me to reclaim the forest in my name... it would have taken... considerably longer then your rather effective method did but... vampires are much longer lived then Lycans are."
Maria should have been mad at this. Safiria did just admit to sending Maria to her death... but in the same regard, she couldn't help but commend the Vampire Queen's military genious. " 'With victory as the prize, no price is too high...'" Maria quoted something she had heard in training. " 'Queen or Pawn... all are worth the cost...'" She nodded. "Commendable. Disappointing you'd use me, but commendable."
"You're a chess player?" Safiria asked, recognizing the reference.
"Only occasionally. I'm not that good." A lie.
"Perhaps if you're feeling up to it later tonight, you could indulge me in a game?"
"Yeah, I could probably work that into my ridiculously free schedule." Maria smiled, standing. Safiria smiled and watched Maria stand. "Games aside, is there any other matter that requires my attention?"
"Nothing that must be done pressingly. You are, as you observed moments ago, free."
"Do you mind if I looks about the castle, Your Highness?" Safiria chuckled at this, shaking her head.
"My dear... sweet Guardian. What did I say earlier? Call me Safiria." A pause. "However, no. I have no problem with your exploration, provided you confine your search to only rooms that are unlocked..." A sick grin crossed her lips. "One more thing, Maria... if you so much as open the door to my chambers... I will consider that a forfeiture of our bet... and I will win." Maria gave a nod to this sudden caveat.
"Good to know, Safiria." Maria started to wander around the castle, gawking at the beautiful paintings, running a gentle hand along the tapestries in the corridors, and marveling at the intricate stonework. She couldn't help but wonder how it would feel to call a place like this home. Dozens of bedrooms, hundreds of servants at her beck and call, and an eternity to do as she wished. The thought excited and horrified her in equal measures, dozens upon dozens of outcomes flooding her subconscious. "A Queen..." She mused to herself, letting the thought have freedom for a bit. "I could be a Queen..."
"You could." Came a voice behind Maria, startling the blond woman. "You could have all of this... the castle... and everything inside."
"Are you following me?" She blinked at Safiria.
"I only wish to be affirmed that your every desire is attended to. You are my guest, and may have anything you wish." This was the first time that Maria felt something tingle in the back of her mind. Something smelt bad here... and Maria couldn't help but think it was only a matter of time before some dark, hungry shadow descended upon her.
"How about the day to myself, huh? Can I ask that?" Safiria nodded.
"Anything you wish." Maria nodded, but couldn't help feeling even more on edge then she was to begin with. How quickly she agreed... How readily she said yes... it didn't bode well.
"Thank you, Your Highness. Your beauty is overshadowed only by your kindness." The pair bowed to one another as Maria went about the castle.
She did, indeed, manage to spend all of that day exploring the huge castle. By the time dinner came around, she had only cleared the first floor in her exploration before a younger looking vampire (I say 'looking' because you can never be too sure. A toddler could turn out to be thousands of years old) came and retrieved her. She was much stronger-toned then the one who woke her up this morning... much more confident.
"Lady Despair." The woman spoke with a flourishing bow. "My Lady, Queen Safiria, requests your presence in the dining hall, and has asked that you wear your finest dress."
"Which is the only one I have, which means I have little choice in the matter..." Maria mused, finalised at the turn of events. Maria returns to her room and fished the dress out of her closet, finding a way to stuff herself into it once more, complaining the entire time. Maria Despair was not a dress kind of girl. She was a sleep naked and love it kind of girl, she was a shorts and t-shirt on the weekend kind of girl, she was an 'I do what I want' kind of girl. She was not a dress girl. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that when forced to wear a dress... Maria was neither happy, nor quiet about her unhappiness.
Safiria smiled, clamping both hands before her when she caught a glimpse of Maria descending stairs. Though it appeared as if Maria had simply stuffed herself haphazardly into the dress (which, as it happened, was exactly what she did.), Safiria was none the less pleased to see her making an attempt to please. "Good evening, Maria. How was your adventure?"
"It was great until I met the boss. I couldn't attack it, and it just swallowed me whole." It took Safiria a few seconds to realize the 'boss' Maria spoke of was the dress. She gave a laugh as she motioned her to the dining hall.
"Come, dear Guardian. Dinner awaits." Maria's stomach growled at her ominously, and it was all Maria could do avoid just starving to death. She was really starting to get disenfranchised with this whole assignment... not to mention her growing displeasure with Safiria herself. Several times, more then once over dinner, Maria thought she caught Safiria glaring at her, running her tongue across her lips. She started to question if she would even keep her word at the deal's conclusion...
"So." Maria started after finishing dinner.
"So." Came Safiria's careful response.
"What do you say to a game of chess after dinner?" Safiria smiled at this, then nodded.
"It would be a pleasure."
Maria didn't consider herself smart. She was, after all, a soldier; she who is commanded. However, Maria always fancied herself at least smart enough to read people. Admittedly, Safiria was a tricky read, her face betraying nothing of her true nature, and her voice as flat as Greenguard Forest. However... there was one thing Maria could do to get a read on Safiria and, more importantly maybe, figure out her motives.
Chess was a game of sacrifices and military strategy. Safiria had already proved to Maria yesterday that her mind was sharp when victory was on the line, and she would stop at nothing to achieve victory. Maria, however, wanted to see how far into depravity the Vampire Queen would stoop when faced with defeat.
Safiria ordered two servants to fetch her finest chess set and bring it into the parlour, the two women disappearing into the bowels of the castle, appearing a moment later, a fine silver and gold board and shimmering pedestal in one woman's hands, and an intricate wooden box in the second's. Maria watched in silence as the game was set up, taking note of the pieces. The game pieces were made of solid silver for the white side, and burnished gold for the black side. Safiria motioned to the board.
"Please, dear Guardian. Choose your side."
"Black." Maria answered simply, Safiria nodded as she took her place near white side.
"Black it is. A fine choice... the preferred side of the seasoned tactician... and my favorite side." Maria smiled as Safiria took her seat.
"Sorry to take your thunder." Safiria shook her head, putting two fingers on a Knight.
"Hardly." With a deft motion of her hand, the Vampire Queen began the game. Maria watched not only her motions, but her face as well. To say that Maria was apt at Chess was an understatement. She was one of the best, and would usually beat anyone she played against, even if it took her a few tries. In the two hour long game the pair played, Maria learned two valuable things about Safiria.
The first she learned was that Safiria knew how to unnerve a person with a small look, her piercing amber eyes making one feel both safe and uncomfortable at the same time and in equal measure. She couldn't tell if the Vampire Queen had to practice this look, or if it came naturally, all she knew was the look was enough to make her sick. The second thing she discovered... and possibly the most important thing was this.
Safiria hated losing.