Chaos. It's everywhere. The sounds of screams and pleas for mercy surround me. I'm not in the same cellar as the other two dreams. This time the scene is different. Open battle fields spread far before me, soldiers marching row by row; endless. Their dark uniforms a symbol of the court they represent. I'm standing by a large white tent with a black panther with horns emblazed upon the flap. I've seen that creature before.
Turning away from the tent I see the field before me, it's coated with blood, dead bodies. Mud and cannon dust cover the ground. Blasts of magic rip through the air, scenting it with electricity and static.
What the hell is happening? Where am I?
Two soldiers approach the tent, entering the open flaps, oblivious to me standing next to it. Deciding the tent is the lesser of two evils, I slip inside it, following the soldiers. Inside there's a full cot, with blankets and pillows, a small desk filled with papers and books. A carpet to cover the ground and a full sized tub in the far corner. This must be the High Lord's tent, its too lavish to be anyone else's.
At the center of the room, is Myra. Her wrists are freed of the chains, the skin chafted and scarring. She's standing with her back to her but there, dangling from her finger tips is the blood crown I saw carved into her skin. The two soldiers approach her, telling her to drop the crown and turn to face them.
Myra ignores them.
The two soldiers move toward her, each of them diving at a different angle but she dodges both of them. Myra rolls over her shoulder, landing smoothly on her feet and rises, throwing a glance over her shoulder. Her eyes flashing with power.
"Tell your high lord that I have dealt with worse than him and that if he ever wants to see this crown again, he'll have to take it from my dead body." Then she dashes out the door and flees into the early morning of dawn.
Following her, I try to keep up, the sounds of battle far behind us. Myra keeps running, she doesn't stop for a long time until she comes across an old building of sorts. Like a catacomb tomb, the entrance is above ground but there's more hiding beneath.
She glances over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind her, then slides open the heavy stone door and slips down into the darkness.
I trail after her. Smeeling the pungent smell of mildew and rot. There's many paths down here, but I follow her fading steps, trying to keep up and not get lost. Ahead Myra pauses, places her hand upon a stone door and begins to murmur something in a language I don't recognize.
"Qui cum sanguine bellatoris et lucis in animabus suis huc intrabunt." After she's done saying the words, the door groans open allowing her access.
What did she just say? What language was that?
Myra enters the room, I rush forward to see inside. It's a small room, only one door to get in and out. The walls are filled from floor to ceiling with empty spaces for urns or treasures to sit for eternity. Myra takes the crown and I watch as magic pools from her hands, flashes of light and sunshine sparkling in her palms as she whispers new words that I again, don't recognize, " Sit modo illi cum sanguine bellatoris et lucis in anima sua inveniet te."
I watch as the crown shifts and changes, turning into something different until in her hands is an urn. Soft, smooth rose gold metal that cools in her hands. No trace of that crown anywherem at least to the untrained eye.
For there, invisible to anyone but me is the blood rose with a pearl center lightly engraved on the urn. Myra places it into an empty spot and I watch as the colour fades, turning into an older, more rusted version of the beauty I just witnessed and that rose fades from view completely.
"Now no one can find you unless they are of my blood. May whoever finds you, wears you and uses you for good instead of evil."
Myra turns her face severe in ways I haven't seen it before, her eyes meet mine and she stops. "Althea? What are you doing here? It's not safe!" I blink, "I came to ask you more questions to get answers. What the hell is going on?" She shakes her head, "Now is not the time for answers. I promise, my child, you will have your answers but not right now. Not when we're both in danger."
I'm about to push for my answers, demand them, when the sound of the stone door far above us groaning shut rumbles through the entire tomb.
"What was that?"
"Trouble. We must leave now." She takes my hand, shuts the door behind us, sealing it then together we dash down the corridor and into the awaiting darkness.
⤗
Flying awake, sweat beads down my forehead my chest heaving. "What the fuck was that?" I gasp out, my breathing uneven. Reaching for my sketchbook I scribble out the words I heard, in case I forget them. Trying to pinpoint the language but I have no idea, I don't even know if I spelled them right.
Staring at the words, my brain hurts trying to decipher it. I don't even know where to start.
Kazimir will.
Groaning at the thought of going to see him, to ask for help again makes my stomach sick. I shouldn't depend on him for help, I don't know if I can trust him, but on the other hand; he's the only one who knows about any of this. Who can help me figure it out.
Against my better judgment, I throw on some comfortable clothes and grab the sketchbook before trudging towards the door.
Wrenching it open, I'm about to take a step outside when the hairs on my arms stand up. Something isn't right. Something feels very wrong. The hallway is too quiet, but that stillness seems to be coming from the end of the hall. Near Kazimir's room. There's shadows in the hallway, moving ones. Almost like they're alive. Reaching out, those shadows curl around my fingers, tugging my forward almost as if they're guiding me toward something. Sudden shivers cascade along my skin, the hall is chilled, I can see my breath pluming before me sending greay streaks amongst the dark.
What is happening? Following the pull of the darkness, I tread down the corridor, my feet silent on the cool wooden floor. Finally that dark seems to thicken, swelling just outside a dark wooden door.
This is Kaz's room. Why am I here?
The shadows press into the door, like silent fists pounding on it. Reaching for the knob, I knock then turn the handle, "Kazimir? Are you in here?" Silence. The room is quiet. Dark. Very dark. I can't even see a step in front of me.
Cursing, I fling my hand out to the side, blindly searching for a light switch but I can't find it. Grumbling I push deeper into the dark, aiming for the nightstand by memory. It's a slow process, brutal, but I finally bump my foot into a solid mass. Reaching froward, I feel the curve of the lamp stand, following it until I find the switch and trun it; light blazing into the room.
Turning, I let out a yelp.
"Kazimir, you scared me." I breathe, my hand on my chest over my racing heart. But he doesn't say anything. In fact, something is wrong. Very wrong. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, his bare skin gleaming in the light, a sheen of sweat dripping over his skin. He chest raises and falls in deep breaths, his eyes are open but the amber colour is gone, instead they're black. His mouth moves, as he mumbles something over and over again.
A name. He's saying someone's name.
"Beatrice. Beatrice. Beatrice."
I blink, "Kaz?" Waving my hand in front of his face I wiggle my fingers but he doesn't blink, doesn't even acknowledge that I'm here.
"Beatrice, why?" He keeps saying her name, asking why. I step toward him, hoping to figure out what's happening when suddenly he shoots to his feet. His muscles rippling with the movement. Stepping back, I drop my notebook on the coffee table then turn back to him.
"Kaz? It's me. Althea."
He turns his head my way, his eyes meeting mine but still unseeing. "Beatrice, why? Get out. Get out. Get out."
I'm scared. What is wrong with him? Raising my hands to soothe him, I take a cautious step forward. Then another.
"Kazimir, it's ok. She's not here. You're ok."
"Beatrice. Get out. Get out. GET OUT!" He roars the last one, his voice snapping through the room. The shadows swelling more, rippling with his words. Oh my god, this is coming from him. His magic is running rampant in this room. By the gods...
I know you shouldn't wake a sleep walker, but I think this is something else, something worse and he must wake up. "Kazimir." I call to him, reaching forward slowly, each movement I make is reflected in his eyes. The black encompassing every part of his eyes, even the whites.
"Get. Out." He growls. Shivers tickle my skin, but not ones of fear, ones of want. Warmth and heat pools along my veins at the tones. Trying to shake the feeling off, I reach forward again, his chest heaving. "Kazimir, I'm here." His lip curls upwards, sneering at me.
"You cheating btich, get the fuck out!" He snarls the words at me, I feel the sting of them. How deep that pain goes. Before I can react his hand flings out, a shard of black obsidian shoots from his hand aiming straight for me. "Kazimir!" I shout, dodging out of the way but not before the obsidian shard slices my cheek before it crashes into the wall far behind me.
I feel the sting, the blood trickling from the cut, but I push forward. I have to stop this. To wake him.
Lunging for him, I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder; for a moment the shaodws pause, rippling at my touch, purring to me. His face turns to me, those eyes staring deeply into my soul.
"You." He growls. "I'm here." I whisper. Laying my other hand on his shoulder, I trail them down his chest, stopping over his heart.
"It's me. Althea. I'm here." His breathing slows, the darkness beginning to receding. "Althea?" Tilting his head to the side, Kaz's hair falls into his face his eyes blinking for the first time since I arrived. "Yes. It's me." I cautiously move my hands up, skittering them along his shoulders and neck before cupping his face in my hands.
Kazimir's fingers curl along my wrists, holding both of them. His skin is hot. Like there's a dark flame burning beneath his flesh.
"You." He says again. The black in his eyes not receeding just yet. "Me." I state back. He blinks again, my thumbs brush his cheeks, sliding under his eyes and stopping at his jaw, "You're not alone."
Kazimir tilts his head down, to fully look at me; his height towering over me but I don't care, I'm not scared. Not of him. He blinks and there, I see it; a flicker of amber amongst the dark. His fingers clench my wrists, putting pressure and possibly leaving bruises, but I don't flinch, I don't cry out. I simply stand there; waiting. "I'm here. It's me, Althea. You're safe."
A deep growl, rumbles from his chest. It sends sparks flashing along my sides, desire like none I've ever felt before pools deep in my belly.
Something wakens within me, like a slumbering beast opening an eye and finding a kindred spirit looking back at it. The shadows in the room recede, pulling away and sliding over his skin until it's gone. Just the normal dark of midnight now covering the room.
"Kaz." I murmur, his fingers slide down my arms, reaching for my face cupping my cheeks. "You. Why do you make me this way?" I frown, what does he mean? He blinks, the black in his eyes taking it's time to disappear. He leans towards me, his breath tickling my face before he nuzzles my neck, inhaling my scent.
"Your smell, it drives me crazy." His growl ricochets through me, making me shiver. He pushes towards me, pulling on my shoulders until our chest meet. My fingers splayed along his face until I slap them against his chest, trying to support myself. I trail them down his sides, until they come to rest at his hips.
"Your scent, I can smell your arousal, when you fight it. I can smell your soul. It's maddening." He purrs into my skin. His lips grazing the side of my throat, a whimper slips free. He groans and it's like I'm being elctrocuted.
Sharp bolts piercing my tendons and paralyzing my muscles. Kaz nuzzles my neck again, his lips placing kisses along it until he pauses against my heart beat.
"Mine." He growls. Something deep and primal slipping free. Frozen, I stand there, my fingers digging into the muscles along his lower back. "Kazimir..." I whisper.
He bites me. His teeth sinking into my flesh and causing some pain.
I let out a gasp before I feel his tongue sliding over the mark, soothing the ache. "Mine." He growls again. I exhale letting out a small whimper. Something snaps within him, Kazimir jerks backwards gasping for air, his eyes blinking rapidly; all the black now gone and his amber colour has returned.
His head whips to the side, pausing when he see's me in his arms, my eyes wide and chest rising and falling.
"Althea?" He questions, his voice raspy and thick, "What the hell is going on?" Kazimir's eyes zero in on the bite mark on my neck and the cut on my cheek, his eyes widening, "Did... did I do that to you?" His thumb brushes the mark on my neck, before he retracts it. I nod, "Yes. But it's ok. I'm glad you're ok. What the hell happened?" He frowns at me, our bodies still touching, his arms still around me. Whatever strength he had, gives out and I watch as the High Lord of the Dark Court sinks onto his bed, his head falling forward into my chest and weeps.
⤗
Patting his head, I comb my fingers through his hair, shushing him and trying to soothe him. "Shh, it's ok. Let it out. I'm here, you're not alone." Kaz buries his face in my chest, his sobs shaking his shoulders, his fingers clenching my shirt into a fist. "It's ok Kaz, whatever it is, it's over. I'm here. I got you." I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing my cheek into the top of his head.
The High Lord grabs my hips and guides me towards him, I let him. He coaxes me until I bend my legs and sit on his lap, my legs curling around his waist and arms holding him to me. I don't question it, don't fight it. I let this immortal being hold me, seeking comfort in his time of need.
"It's ok. You're ok." I murmur. Kazimir squeezes me to him, his face now buried in my neck. Pulling away slightly, I cup his face in my hands, brushing his tears away seeing how light his eyes are. He look at me, through glassy vision and whispers, "What is wrong with me?" The pain, the ache I see reflected back at me; hurts. "Nothing. Nothing is wrong with you."
"Why? Why did she do it? Why did she not want me? It's my fault. All my fault." I shake my head. "What is?"
"I killed her. Dead. She's dead because of me. It's my fault." He keeps repeating the same things over and over again. Anger courses through me and I growl out, "No. It's not your fault. You didn't do it on purpose, whatever happened wasn't your fault. It wasn't." My voice breaks at the end. Kazimir clenches his hands into fists, his eyes staring deeply into mine, "Something is wrong with me. Everyone hates me. Everyone. Even you." I've never seen him this vulnerable before, this hurt. So much heartache is oozing from him, the shadows returning to the room.
Shushing him again, I place a kiss against his forehead murmuring, "I don't hate you. I thought I did, when we first met. I thought you were a piece of shit, but the more I've got to talk to you, the more I've seen, the more I realize I was wrong. You may have done some bad things in the past, but we shouldn't use someone's mistakes against them."
I let out a small breath before continuing, "I know that we don't always get along, and I don't trust you fully, but I'm learning. This world is new to me, different, scary and I don't fit into it as much as I thought I did. But you've helped me. The visions, the history, all of it. You've been there. So no, I don't hate you Kaz. I don't even dislike you. I think you're misunderstood and tonight, I've seen a side to you that I think very few ever get to see."
He sits up, wiping at his face, his cheeks pink from the tears. Kazimir stares at me, the emotions slowly fading. "You don't hate me?" I shake my head no, "No. Not even a little bit." He presses his forehead to mine, looking into my eyes and sits there in silence for a few moments. Just looking, processing. He sighs, brushing hair out of my face before sliding his thumb over the scrape on my cheek, a cool feeling enters the wound then it's gone.
"What was that?" He smiles softly, "I healed it. It's only fair since you saved me." I blink, "I'd hardly say I saved you. More like woke you up from whatever horrible dream you were having." He blinks, frowning "I don't even remember it."
Pulling away, I slide off his lap and sit next to him on the bed, my skin feeling too heated. His soft voice asking me, "How did you even get in here?" snaps me back to the present. "I had another vision. It was different this time. More things happened in it, I spoke to Myra briefly before I woke. I came to see you, with a question about something she said in the vision, but the moment I stepped out into the hallway, I knew something was wrong. The hallway was covered in shadows and when I reached forward to touch them, they curled around my fingers and led me here. I opened the door, turned your lamp on and that's when I saw you, sitting on the edge of your bed mumbling to yourself."
"Oh god." He groans, burying his head in his hands. "I'm sorry Althea, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't. But I was worried. Your eyes, they were black. Fully black. And, and the room was filled with darkness, shadows and magic. There was barely any light in here. You kept mumbling a name over and over again, then you lost control briefly and then... well then you bit me and here we are."
He raises his head, blinking before turning his attention to the side of my face, eyeing the red bite mark on my neck. For a second his eyes darken before it vanishes. Meeting his stare I wait for him to process all of that, to understand what the hell just happened.
"My magic guided you here?" He asks, "Yes. I guess so. It led me to you." He frowns, scratching at his neck before pushing to his feet and begins to pace. That vulnerability completely gone now. I watch as he paces back and forth, trying to sort through everything I just told him, his sigh makes me turn to face him. "I'm sorry. I really don't know what happened. I never lose control. At least, not often. I always keep a tight leash on my powers because... well because the last time I didn't I killed someone." I swallow and whisper, "Beatrice?" He snaps his head in my direction, "What? How do you know that name?"
"You were mumbling it when I got here. Kept saying her name and asking her why, before you shouted to get out. Something about her being a cheating bitch?" He blinks at me, his cheeks flushing pink. "Kazimir, who is she? Who is Beatrice?"
I won't tell him that Arrow already told me some details about her, that she was his first wife and that he killed her because she cheated. I want to hear the whole story from him. His hands clench and he turns his back to me, shaking his head, "No. I can't tell you that. I can't relive it..." Standing, I pad softly towards him, laying my hand on his spine and feeling him stiffen. His back straighten as he turns to me.
"Please. I don't know much, but from what I witnessed, it was massive. You're reliving it when you sleep. Maybe... maybe talking about it will help." Kaz opens his mouth to argue but I hold my hand up, placing a finger against his lips and shushing him, "Tell me about Beatrice and I'll tell you about the vision."
His eyes trail behind me, landing on the coffee table and my notebook that's resting there, "Was it that bad?" He rasps. "Yes." Meeting my stare, he sighs before walking back to the bed and sinking into it.
He's quiet for a long time, his back rising and falling. I feel bad suddenly, making him relive this. "You don't have to tell me High Lord. I'm sorry I pushed, I just wanted to help. I'll tell you about the vision, I was on my way here about it anyways." Now it's his turn to silence me, his finger falling against my mouth sending sparks searing through them.
"I'll tell you. You've already seen me break, seen me at my weakest, it's only fair to fill in the blanks." Shifting, so that I can sit on the edge of the bed I bring my knees to my chest and wait. Giving him the time and space to relax. He seems restless, so I get up and walk to the bathroom, remembering the oil he used on me to help me when I had the first vision in here.
Rummaging through the cabinets, I find what I'm looking for then slip out of the room and enter his bedroom. Kaz is still sitting there, with his head in his hands. Quietly, I sit against the headboard, then pat the space between my legs, "Come here." I whisper. He looks over his shoulder at me curiously. I raise the oil bottle and wiggle it at him, "I know you said your mom did this to help soothe you, so I figured I'd give it a try. Maybe it will help you feel calm enough to tell me about her?"
His eyes soften and the smile that appears on his face is breathtaking. "You remembered?" He asks. "Of course." Crawling towards me, Kaz lays on the bed, resting his head on my lap and staring at the ceiling. Pouring the oil onto my fingers, I rub them together then begin massaging it into his neck and under his ears.
I swear he starts to purr like a cat. His eyes closing in bliss as I massage the oil in. "What else did she do? Your mother, I mean. To help calm you?" Kazimir humms before opening his eyes, his cheeks blushing pink, "She'd also trail her fingers aimlessly along out chests to help settle our nerves, listening as we spoke until the rhythm of her fingers soothed us to sleep."
I smile, "Alright." Entering a comfortable silence, I keep rubbing the oil into his neck, massaging it and feeling how the muscles instantly relax, loosening under my touch. Then I move on to his chest, rubbing some in there and lightly trailing my nails along his skin.
His eyes are closed but I feel like this is weirdly sexual. Too sensual for us. But I don't want to stop. He helped me, so now I'll help him. Finally Kaz lets out a sigh and begins to speak, "Beatrice was my first wife. The woman I fell in love with many, many decades ago. I was young, or young in fae years, and I happened to bump into her when I was visiting a far off Kingdom. She came from the Kingdom of Light, so beautiful and pure. Sweet, kind, funny, but sarcastic and bold. I fell for her instantly." He inhales then exhales, I brush my fingers down his sternum, humming softly.
"Beatrice was like nothing I've ever seen before, someone I've never met. She was hesitant at first, because of where I was from, but eventually I won her over. After deciding to court her, we had the best relationship; soon both of us falling madly for each other. A year and a half into the relationship, I asked her to marry me. She said yes." Jealousy stabs into me, but I shut it out. Locking whatever this feeling is away. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don't meet his stare, I just keep massaging or soothing him.
"After we were wed, we moved into my home; this palace. She seemed happy at first until the little things that bothered her became apparent. Any time she complained about something, I'd immediately change it. Trying to make her happy. Soon enough I felt that I was changing who I was and where I'm from just to please her, but being foolishly in love, I ignored that feeling. I let her change me. We were married for a few years, before I noticed a change in her. Little things that made me wonder why her mood changed." He swallows deeply before proceeding, "Beatrice stopped doing the things she loved, hanging outside in the garden, singing, spending time with me and become more reserved, always out, always gone. Secretive, edgy. I ignored that too because I thought maybe it was my fault, that I was being too much. I came home one day from doing courtly duties in another land, and I called for her.
She didn't answer, so I checked the house, all the places she usually is. When I came upstairs to see if she was napping, I... I heard them."
My heart stutters at his tone.
"I heard them talking. I waited until I'd heard enough before I barged into the room, demanding answers. They acted like it wasn't a big deal, like lying about their affair and then being caught didn't matter. That I should have expected it. I became angry, so blindingly angry. I lost control. My magic tore from me and shredded the room, this room, to pieces. In my destructive rage, I didn't realized I'd killed her, not until Arrow showed up and saved me. Stopped me from hurting anyone else."
He heaves a deep breath, and when I look down at his face I see the tears falling from his eyes. I wipe them away, placing a gentle kiss where they burned his skin. "Arrow saved me that day. But Beatrice didn't. Her lover survived too. Ever since that day, I kept a close hold on myself. I never let myself open up to another again, because I'm afraid to get hurt and I'm even more scared that I'll hurt someone I love." His eyes meet mine, they pierce into me. I don't know what to say, so I keep quiet for a bit, processing this information. My heart bleeds for him, for this prince of chaos that was treated so poorly and then has had to wear of mask for the rest of his life. It aches for this male who only wanted love and instead received betrayal.
"I'm sorry." I whisper. My voice sliding over the silence around us. He blinks, reaching up to grab my hand and squeezing it. "Don't be. It's not your fault." Kaz clears his throat but doesn't move. His hand still holding mine. "It's not your fault." He murmurs again. Together we sit there in silence, absorbing the pain of his heartache and wondering why cruel things happen to good people.