Calamity Falls | Wattys 2019

XI

"Of course." Reinard responded cryptically.

Reinard began to make the trek to his office with Calamity following. Leopold felt disappointed that Calamity had already forgotten about him, until he felt one of her fingers link with his own and start gently pulling him along.

When they reached the first staircase Calamity called out behind her, "You didn't really think I'd forget about you, did you?" She turned around and faced him. Even with the height advantage the stairs gave, Leopold was still slightly taller than her. She looked him in the eyes. "You're a part of this now, King Leopold."

Leopold grabbed her hand and pulled her flush against him. "Stop calling me by my title," he brought his nose to her neck and gently slid it up, sending goosebumps across her skin. "Call me Leo."

Calamity stepped a stair back and looked down. "Okay... L-Leo."

She turned around and jogged up the stairs to avoid Leo seeing her blush.

Leo had to admit that seeing the timid side of Calamity made him think some rather promiscuous thoughts. Her running away only engaged his predacious side.

He growled lowly and chased after her up the stairs. He caught up to her right outside of Reinard's office. Before she could go inside he grabbed her hand and yanked her towards him and against the wall, eliciting a high-pitched squeak.

"What was that?" he asked. A predatory smirk formed on his face. "I liked that. Do it again," he said huskily.

Calamity put her hand over his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked amused.

"I'm blushing," she said simply.

Leopold chuckled, "So?"

Calamity sighed as if it were the most obvious thing. "It's unbecoming. I don't want you to see me in such a state. It's embarrassing."

Leo removed her hand gently. "I want to see all of you," he said in all seriousness, "especially the embarrassing parts."

Calamity's face lit up red like a tomato. "How indecent..." she muttered.

"Are you two kids done yet?" Reinard asked from the doorway of his office.

Calamity pushed Leo off of her quickly. "Apologies, Your Highness," she apologized before heading into his office hastily.

Leo looked disappointed and pouted. He walked into the office with slumped shoulders and huffed. Reinard shook his head at the childish reaction and followed them back into his office.

"Alright Calamity. We're all ears," Reinard said, sitting in his chair behind his desk. Leopold sat on a chair opposite.

"First, I must do something," she said walking over to Leopold. She put her hands on either side of his face and looked into his eyes. His eyes dilated unnaturally. "I am going to ask you to promise me something. Can you do that for me?"

"I would do anything for you," he said honestly. Though, he couldn't lie even if he wanted.

"Once you make this promise it cannot be undone. Any promises you make right now will bind us. You cannot lie, and you cannot find a loophole," she waited for him to show he understood. He nodded slowly because of the trance currently acting on him. "Promise me... that you will never hurt me."

"I promise," he said slowly, "I will never ever hurt you, unless you want me too," he finished with a wink.

"If you're making a reference to sexual activity then I can assure you that I would be the dominant," Calamity assured.

Leopold gaped at her in surprise. She just strutted away and leaned against the wall perpendicular to the desk.

"Now that we've got that out of the way," Calamity continued, "I need to tell you that what we are about to discuss is of the utmost importance. The integrity of this information cannot be compromised under any circumstances, no matter what. Am I understood?"

"Of course," Reinard replied.

"What's going on Calamity?" Leopold asked, unsettled.

"Am I understood?" Calamity insisted.

Leopold pursed his lips and thought for a second. "Yes."

"Then, you need to have self-control. What I'm about to tell you is not to be taken lightly, and I wouldn't tell you unless I knew I could trust you with this information," she looked pointedly at Leo. He nodded at the information.

"I... had one of my visions. I saw some rather unsettling things. I can't inform you of all of it at the risk of unsettling fate's design, but there were some rather important things that I can prevent. I chose my path, so I can defy the one I rejected," Calamity began.

"Wait, visions. You can see the future?" Leopold questioned.

"Not explicitly," Reinard answered for her, "You see, Calamity is sort of a Jack-of-all-trades among the dark. Most demons only possess the basic abilities of their species and a few more unique qualities. Calamity possesses many unique abilities as well as those of baser origins."

"While I may possess many abilities I am not a master at all of them like those with only few. For some I need a catalyst of sorts to activate them like my future reading. For others, I have trouble with control. Once I start using them... I can't stop until the target perishes." Calamity's eyes drifted down towards the floor in shame.

Leopold felt helpless seeing his mate obviously bothered by something he didn't know anything about. He watched as she took a deep breath and collected herself. She lifted her head, and looked back and forth between the two kings.

"I have the powers to inflict pain on whoever I wish. It is a rare ability many wish to have, but it is a burden. I can't control it. Every time I have ever used it, someone died because I was incompetent."

Weak girl. You can't even control your own abilities.

"Calamity..." Leopold trailed off.

"I simply speak truth. A prodigy with so many gifts is useless if she can't control them," she paused. "Nothing but a burden," she muttered under her breath.

"You are not a burden! Do not talk about yourself like that, Calamity!" Leopold scolded.

Calamity tilted her head to the side. "You are not my boss."

"I'm a king and your mate," Leopold refuted.

"You are not my king, and being my mate does not entitle you to anything that I am not willing to give, including my obedience. You are not even my boyfriend," she spat irritated at being ordered around.

"Then why did you treat me so formally?" He asked like he had won.

"Like you said, you're a king. It's called respect, maybe you should try it sometime," she said as her eyes flashed black for a split second.

"Children, please. Stop arguing," Reinard broke apart their argument.

"Your Highness, I'm a couple centuries too old to be treated like a child by someone in his twenties." She lifted her eyebrow as if challenging him to deny it.

"Alright, I get it," Reinard raised his hands in surrender. "Now, let's get back on topic. The last thing we need is tension between allies. Calamity, what did you call us here for?"

Calamity released a shaky breath. "He's coming," she admitted. "My father is coming. The Demon King knows where I am."