Hi everyone! Sorry about long waits! Not a lot to say here otherwise, just enjoy! This is one of my favorite chapters, the next one being even higher on the list.
Part Three: Bargaining.
Chapter 22.
Delusions Of Grandeur.
The power coursing through her veins ached. It made her knees weak and mind foggy. She wanted to scream. She wanted to claw at her own body, to grab at her veins and still the pain at its source. She could feel her heart beating within her chest, harder and harder until felt as though it was going to break from her ribcage.
It was going to burst.
"Nuka," she gasped in desperation, eyes as wide as they could be, clutching at her chest through the thin fabric that had been wrapped tightly around her breast and ribs. "What's happening to me?!"
She fell to her knees, not even caring as her bare legs met with the thickened, rotted blood that covered the dirt floor. The creature was nowhere in sight.
"It's going to burst!"
No answer.
She reiterated over and over again, each cry louder, more agonized than the last. Had it all been a trick? Had the creature been masquerading as a god, only to now reveal himself as a demon, luring her to her death by the unstable and gullible mind of a teenage girl whose heart had already been shattered?
"No, its not." The creature finally answered her desperate cries. Her head whipped up from her prostrate stance, searching the dank underbelly of the forbidden well for the creature, and yet was met with only the pile of rotting corpses.
"It's going to stop."
"What?!"
"Hearts are severally overrated. They only get in the way, you know."
She gasped again when her heart stuttered, bringing another spasm of pain.
"But it will kill me!"
The creature chuckled, a deep vibration that sounded like it was right beside her. But a single glance told her otherwise.
"Not with my magic within your veins."
She panted as her heart began to slow, yet the pain remained, only growing stronger with each second that ticked by.
"Where are you?"
There was an eerie silence that followed, one that would have made her nervous if not for the agony that she was in.
"I'm in your head."
Her stomach seemed to drop out from beneath her, she gave another rasping gasp in weak protest, knowing it was already too late to change her fate. She could feel him inside her head now, it was plainly obviously, searching through her memories, dreams and nightmares as if her mind was a book for him to flip through, not a private collection of thoughts and feelings.
"You need me, and I need you. I cannot take back my proper place in the lofty peaks of immortality without a healthy body, and you cannot ascend the steps of your birthright as queen without the powers I posses."
The pain she had been in from her heart pounding had but scratched the surface in comparison to when it stopped. Every function in her body stilled. Her blood ceased to flow, her lungs tightened, unable to draw fresh air from outside nor push the stale breath out. A chocking sob ripped from her throat as she fell forward onto her hands, fingers clawing at the rotted blood that covered the ground.
It was several minutes later that the pain finally stopped.
In the thick, eerie atmosphere of the dried well, her head slowly, like the smooth rearing of a cobra's hood, lifted, and surveyed the darkness with eyes that shone a bright, inhuman yellow. She rose effortlessly, hauntingly, a feeling of newfound power buzzing inside her body. She could feel the creature now, a dark aura surrounding her like a thick mist.
When she looked down, she found that her skin had paled to that of a beautiful milky cream, a tone sought by all the noble girls of her kingdom, and yet never obtained, until now. Her figure had changed as well, now resembling that of a fully figured woman, not that of a scrawny, flat chest-ed teenager. The creature's power had purveyed for her a body that was truly beautiful, transforming her into a trophy for which all the men would compete. A prize never to be won.
Her heart was already taken. And now was the time to see to it that his heart belonged to her…
With her expertise, entering the castle was a breeze. She had done so countless times before. This would mark the last. After today, she would claim his heart as her own, officially. This would be the last time she had to creep through the sewers. They would welcome her, open the gates and bow as she strode gracefully into the arms of her love.
The secret passage she used came out in a small, unused hallway directly behind the throne room. Several yards from where she emerged, the hallway met with a larger, lit corridor, from which a commotion was being made. After creeping slowly from the passageway, she watched for a moment with interest, as server boys and tableside waiters bustled past carrying trays of food and stacks of fine china, bottles of fine wine and cutlery. Meanwhile maids, messengers and livery workers all scattered, going about their business as if there was not enough time in the day to complete their tasks.
After a moment, her interest lagged, and her own personal mission came back to the forefront. To the left of her, another small passage stood, concealed from the public by mere ways of a wooden crate just tall enough to obscure it from the corridor's view.
It was only about half her height, forcing her to either double over or crawl on her hands on knees. She opted for the latter. Her legs were already covered in old, rotted blood, a little dirt could do no more damage than had already been dealt.
Luckily, it was a short passage. She stopped just before exiting, using her delicately pointed ears, listening to what was happening just beyond the velvet curtain that hid the passage from passers-by in the throne room. Despite the din in the corridors, the throne room was silent. Its too silent, he must be alone. She thought. If the queen or one of his servers had been there, he would surely be making idle chatter with them.
Now was the perfect time.
An exuberant smile on her lips, she darted from behind the curtain, making a quick turn so that she faced the two thrones. But her yellow eyes did not fall upon the chiseled features and dark hair of her love. Sitting in a new, third throne carved out of the same material, was a woman she had never laid eyes before. She had an angular face, with a strong nose and chin. Her dark brown hair had been combed and pulled back into a tight bun atop her head, a decorative pin thrust into the waves of hair.
On her face, a shocked expression had momentarily broken, soon thereafter replaced by one of composed disapproval.
"Who are you?" The woman asked incredulously. Her voice was rough and tart despite the tiara atop her head, a cloyingly thick accent clinging to her words. The accent of a northerner.
"I could ask you the same." She retorted, lifting her chin defiantly, unsuccessfully attempting to set a stubborn stance, her bare feet sliding on the slick marble floors.
"I'll ask again, then I'm calling the guards," the woman on the throne snarled, her otherwise lifeless silver eyes glinting dangerously. "Who are you? And what right do you have to barge into the throne room unannounced?"
"My name is Keres, and I'm Igos' fiancé." She spat the last word venomously, throwing it in a matter-of-fact way that would surely stop this annoying woman in her tracks.
Oh how wrong she had been.
Mocking, ladylike laughter erupted from the silence, catching her off-guard. She shook her head once to get her baring then stared with wide, unbelieving eyes at the woman.
"Oh child-!" she managed to say between her fits of laughter. "I am afraid you're having delusions of grandeur. You cannot be his fiancé," she hissed, laughter dying on her tongue, her expression turning to one of dark pleasure. "For I am his wife."
"You're young, foolish mind has gotten you into a heap of trouble now, child. Say goodbye to the outside world, the dungeon is calling your name, Keres."
The words that met her ears were ones that she could not except. He loved her! Mere weeks ago he had asked her to be his, to take his hand in marriage. Now this woman had the gall to claim that she was his wife?! She could feel a newfound rage burning in the pit of his chest, electrifying her whole body with fierce energy.
"What will you do, child?" the creature hissed softly in her mind. Her lips curled back to show her pearly whites in a dark smile. Despite the closed room, a light breeze wafted past her, lifting her hair up like waves on the ocean. "Kill her? Or perhaps a fate worse than death?"
"What would that be?" She asked without unclamping her jaw. The woman gave her a look of uncertainty, but she didn't care. She hated her. She wanted to do the worst thing she could possibly do to her. She wanted blood. Her stare was so intent that she did not even notice as one of the suits of armor that lined either wall began to clatter, and seconds later the sword it held was ripped from its grip, swinging toward her without a hand to wield it. She hadn't even noticed as its hilt slipped into her palm, as her fingers wrapped around it.
She only noticed when she felt the sickly thud of the blade being buried within the woman's chest, when an agonized screech tore from the woman's throat. But the woman didn't die. She had been sentenced to a fate far worse than the death she would have wanted.
Something inside her willed her to lean close, toward the woman's pained, terrified face.
"Who's the fool now?" She hissed, not even looking back when a screech and a string of curses echoed from the throne room doors. A voice she knew well, a voice that was like music to her ears.
She still did not pull her gaze from the woman's wide eyes, fighting with the woman's will.
"Hello, Igos…"
There you have it, another chapter. A bit short for my taste, but if stretched this chapter any further i'd be letting go of info i'm not ready to release. Hopefully the next chapter comes faster.
Now I need some help from the readers: This story needs a new title. I just don't think "Stay With Me" is punchy enough. I need something with more impact. Anyone who has an idea, please tell me in a review or PM! Something not quite so dull...
Thanks to everyone who's keeping up with this story!
Keres (Possessed) - Angel Of Small Death & The Codeine Scene by Hozier.
Keres and her relationship with the Woman on The Throne - Gold by SirSly.