by E E Ewer
“You’re sure you have the strength?” Alastor questioned as he walked Lucian to an area completely blocked from the light of the evening sky.
“Yes, thank you my friend,” Lucian said as they reached the shadow.
Nire sat on the platform just inside the door as the darkness churned around her, filling her with horrors worse than any nightmare she could have ever imagined. Crying into her arms hysterically, she screamed at the sudden shift as the darkness around her moved and took form.
“Shhhh….” Lucian whispered as he tried to calm her cries. Screaming out her tears she clutched the front of his coat and buried her face in its cloth. His arms surrounded her and stroked her hair gently. “I’m sorry my love. Please forgive me.” He strained to speak as he fell back with her, deeper into the depths.
The rage around her had calmed, but the fear in her chest remained as she held tightly to Lucian and sobbed uncontrollably. She was finally truly aware of why she had been so afraid of the dark, and struggled with the fact that the person she was clinging to for comfort was the very thing she was so afraid of.
Lucian had always been with her. And the stories her aunt told her had only made her aware of his presence. They turned her to focus on the darkness around her, and in that focus she felt him. She had always been afraid of demons lurking in the darkness. She had been afraid of Lucian. He was the darkness.
He had called to her without knowing. In his obsession with her part of him had followed her to another life, surrounding her every night with the exact feeling of the depths she was now in. Every horrifying aspect of his being had been shown to her in extreme intensity, and it was something she had always known subtly in the darkness of her very own bedroom.
Alone in the depths as Lucian consumed the Southern army and Azael, she had been made vividly aware of exactly what Lucian was. His soft words and touches did little to ease her tension as she fought her internal conflict. She was in love with the very thing that had terrified her all her life. She wanted to run from her fears, and the person she wanted to run to was the source of them. She cried out against him, completely at a loss.
“Nire…” he began, pulling her shoulders away from him and cupping her face with his hands. He leaned down and placed his forehead to hers, whispering gently. “I love you.” She gasped in air between her hysterical sobs. “Now that you know exactly what I am,” he said, “can you still love me?”
Nire searched within herself for the answer. She wanted to say yes, but how could she? He was… horrible. Her cries became more frantic and her breathing was erratic.
“Breathe, Nire, breathe,” he urged her to calm herself.
“You… you!…” Nire said accusingly as she shook her head and tried to speak between her sobs.
“Yes,” he answered without needing her to finish. “I am all the things you think I am, but I am also more.” Nire stopped fighting her thoughts for a moment to listen. “There is far more to my depth than what I appear to be, and that is something that Azael could not understand,” Lucian whispered. “He saw me for what I was … what I have been … and failed to see what I could become… what I have become. He was right; I cannot change what I am. But you are not in love with what I am, Nire, you are in love with who I am. And that is something that can be changed – and it has, because of you.”
Nire’s sobs quieted as she thought about his words.
“Who am I, Nire, to you? Who have I always been to you?” he asked.
Nire tried to think about all the time she’d spent with him. She tried to remember the dreams she’d had about him, and the stories Marge had told her about the previous time she’d been here. She thought of her green room, and how comfortable it made her feel. The sketchbook he’d given her for her birthday, and the gardens he’d created just for her.
He had never been any of the things she was afraid of. He had saved her from Azael, and even sent her home. He’d respected her when she was younger and could have easily taken advantage. He admitted he’d been selfish, but never actually denied her what she wanted.
She sniffled and quieted as he held her face in his hands. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her. “Can you still love me for who I am, now that you know what I am?” he asked again.
Nire moved her hands up his chest and put her arms around his neck, pulling herself close. Lucian wrapped his arms around her petite frame and held her to him. He could feel her tears still streaming down her cheeks as they fell on his neck.
Taking a deep breath Nire felt Lucian’s soothing hands as he stroked her hair. “Yes,” she whispered with a shaky voice, quietly in the darkness.
Lucian let out a heavy sigh of relief. “I am going to need to stay here for a while, my love, and I’m afraid I am unable to take you out.”
Nire pulled back ever so slightly. “Why?” she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Lucian winced slightly. “I was injured… a great deal.” He hesitated to tell her she’d been lying on a fresh wound.
“What? Where? Are you okay?” she asked frantically.
Lucian chuckled lightly. “Yes… I will be fine, I just need to rest.”
“I want to stay with you,” Nire said assertively.
“You, my darling, will need to eat eventually,” he said jokingly. “I can sustain your existence but I can’t change the way you are built.”
“But what about you?” Nire insisted.
“For me, eating is optional,” he replied with a smirk that didn’t go unnoticed by Nire, even in the darkness. “I will take you to the stairs. You should eat and rest.”
“I don’t want to go yet,” she said, her voice heavy.
“You have been down here for far too long already. Have you eaten anything at all today?” Lucian asked.
Nire was quiet. She hadn’t, but she wasn’t hungry. She wanted to stay with Lucian. She shifted. “What are you going to do about Azael … I mean, now that he’s gone?” she asked curiously, trying to change the subject.
Lucian raised an eyebrow. “That has already been taken care of,” he said, trailing his hand down her shoulder to rest on her stomach. “Which is why you need to go eat.”
Nire froze, and held her breath for a moment. “I… you…” she stuttered, trying to let what he was telling her sink in.
“Yes,” he said seriously.
“How do you know?” she asked in disbelief.
“Because I put him there,” Lucian smiled.
“Him?” Nire asked. “How do you know it’s a boy?”
Lucian laughed. “I am not human, Nire. I know it’s a boy because I decided it would be. I need a son to take Azael’s place. A girl would not be powerful enough.”
Nire glared in the darkness. “What’s wrong with girls?”
He laughed again. “Nothing, absolutely nothing, my love. But if it were a girl, she would take after you and be far more human. If you recall from your reading, there are neither female elders nor ancients. I existed before there was a separation, thus I need a son to take after me and inherit the power that I command.”
“Why not just do it yourself then?” Nire grumbled snarkily, folding her arms. She was more than a little irritated that she had not been consulted.
Lucian smiled and kissed her. “Because that requires that I use a fraction of my being to create another, resulting in one that is not complete. This is why an Elder is not as powerful as I am. However, in this way I am not required to divide myself. If I combine myself with you, the result is not a fraction of a whole, but an entirely new being.”
Nire sighed. “There’s nothing wrong with girls,” she said stubbornly through gritted teeth.
Lucian was amused by her irritation. “No, there’s not,” he agreed with her. “Would you like one of those as well?” he added playfully. “I would happily arrange it for you in approximately nine months.”
Nire shoved him gently. “Shut up,” she said, a smile ringing clearly in her voice.
“I can’t
imagine anything more delightful than a daughter who takes after you. Surely she would be far more pleasant than any son of mine,” he teased her.
Nire thought for a moment and paused. “Um… if he takes after you… does that mean he’ll have horns?” Nire asked with a bit of concern.
Lucian cocked his head slightly. “Probably. Why?”
“Um. Because… how… will that, you know… work out?”
Lucian thought for a moment and had to resist laughing out loud. “Darling, I’m sure that if he has horns they will be acquired later.”
Suddenly Nire felt a little silly. It’s not like rhinos and deer were born with antlers and horns. She could feel Lucian try to stifle his laughter.
“It’s not funny…” she said, sulking into his chest. “You didn’t even ask me about it… and I’m still not leaving yet,” she stated assertively as she put her arms around his chest and lay close.
He placed his arms around her for a moment. He was exhausted and needed to rest. Pulling her away he traced his finger down the center of her chest, and in the darkness Nire saw a faint glow. Even the moth’s glow was smothered in the darkness of the depths, but somehow it was shining through.
She watched in awe as he made a design across her chest and then placed his hand between her breasts. She felt a sudden warmth and pressure as the mark sank and disappeared into her chest. The feeling was almost indescribable as it pressed itself deep within her, and she gasped.
“What was that?” she asked in a start.
“Something I should have done a long time ago,” he answered. “It is a mark, my mark to be precise,” he said.
“What … what was that feeling though?”
“The feeling was my mark being imprinted on your soul. It connects me to you. It is like attaching a piece of myself to your very being,” Lucian said.
“What’s it for?” Nire asked, inspecting her chest where the mark had been before it sank like a sonic boom inside of her.
“It enables me to know where you are at all times. It’s a tether, of sorts, that will allow me to find you no matter how far away you might be. I should have done it before I allowed you to go back to your own world… I should have done it before you left me the first time…” his voice trailed off. He needed to rest.
“So, even if I die you can still find me?” Nire asked.
“Yes. Now please, Nire. Go back to the surface and eat something. Rest yourself. I am greatly in need of doing the same. You can come tomorrow if you like. I will still be here,” he said reassuringly, stroking her hair.
Nire sighed, but nodded. She was hungry, now that she thought about it. Suddenly she could feel ground beneath her feet, and she stood carefully on the stone steps. Reaching behind her she could feel the wall and she used it to steady herself.
“You’re not far down,” Lucian said as he slowly let go of her.
Feeling her way with her feet up the stairs she reached the platform and felt for the door. She paused for a moment with her fingers on the handle and looked blindly into the darkness. “Lucian?” she called out.
“Yes?”
“How long will you be down here?” she asked.
“Not long, my love. Come see me in the morning, I am sure I will feel much better by then,” he replied.
Nire paused. “Okay,” she said softly, before turning and opening the door.
Nire followed the moth back up through the corridors and emerged at the front of the East Wing. She made her way to the kitchens and helped herself to what she could find. In the rush she went fairly unnoticed, until Alastor happened by and saw her sitting quietly at the table amidst the clamor.
“My Lady!” Alastor called to her from across the kitchen.
Nire lifted her head from her thoughts and looked towards the familiar voice. “Hmm?” she asked quietly.
Alastor made his way through the crowd, which for him was somewhat difficult as he tried not to accidentally knock anyone out of the way. “My Lady, are you all right?” he asked with concern. She had obviously been crying and appeared distressed.
“I’m okay,” she said with a forced smile. She had a lot on her mind and was quite troubled.
“And Lord Lucian, he found you - Is he all right?” Alastor said.
She nodded. “I think so,” she answered quietly.
Alastor took a seat across from her at the long table and studied her. “You’re sure you are okay?” he inquired again.
“Yes… just tired I guess,” she said, looking at the table. She was worried about Lucian. She knew he would be all right, but she didn’t want to leave him there alone.
“Perhaps you should lie down, then,” the demon suggested.
“Not in the East Wing, she won’t,” Margery’s voice suddenly spoke from behind, knowing the mess that needed to be cleaned up in there.
Nire looked up. “Marge! You’re okay!” she exclaimed as she stood and hugged the woman.
“Yes, just a bit bruised is all, thanks to Neir,” Margery said, patting Nire on the back.
“What’s wrong with the East Wing?” Nire asked.
“Lord Lucian left a bit of a mess up there. You will need to use a guest room until it’s been cleaned up,” Margery explained.
Nire didn’t need to imagine what he would have done to the men that broke in. She was quite sure she already knew. Looking around at the chaos, she realized that her personal conflicts were not quite as urgent as the situation all of Eastcastle was in.
“Maybe I should help,” she said, looking around.
Alastor and Margery exchanged glances.
“No, you should rest,” Alastor urged.
“Yes, you can help out tomorrow once you are rested,” Margery agreed. Lucian would not want her running around the castle at this point, and Nire was clearly exhausted.
Margery led her to an untouched room high in the North Wing, away from all the clamor and chaos, and Nire laid down in the darkness.
As morning approached, Eastcastle was still in a frantic state. However, assistance from the North and West had begun to arrive. Troops had been sent upon the knowledge of Azael’s campaign, but even in their hurry had not made it in time for the battle.
Thousands of men and demons from the North and West made camp outside the city walls and began assisting with the wounded and dead. Margery had gone to fetch Nire upon Alastor’s request. The Cardinal Lords themselves had joined the campaign, and with Lucian indisposed Nire would need to be made aware of the situation.
“What’s this all about?” Nire asked as Margery helped her dress.
“The Lords from the North and West have arrived with their company. Alastor and I can attend to them, but you will need to be introduced to them immediately,” Margery said.
“Why?” Nire asked nervously. She wasn’t sure how she felt about meeting any more Cardinal Lords without Lucian by her side.
“Because you are to be the Lady of the Realm, Nire, and in Lucian’s absence it will be your duty to act as head of this castle. It is imperative that the other Lords know who you are, and you should know them as well,” Margery explained.
“Marge…” Nire hesitated.
“Don’t worry, Alastor and I will be with you. And these two are nothing like Azael,” Margery said.
Nire took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She was still quite shaken from the night before and didn’t really feel up to dealing with the politics of the Realm. However, she didn’t seem to have much of a choice in the matter as Margery quickly made her presentable and practically shoved her out the door.
She was guided through the bustle in the North Wing by Alastor, who served as a barrier between her and the numerous new soldiers from the West and North. They were running here and there assisting with the wounded and cleaning up the mess left by the invaders. With Margery following closely behind, Nire was led to one of the numerous conference rooms on the second floor of the wing.
As she was led through the door she could see th
e two Cardinal Lords as they talked between themselves. To the left of the table, seated in a chair, was a large brute of a demon with dark tanned skin and numerous horns protruding from his head, shoulders and upper arms. He wore little in the way of clothing. His pants were a simple dark brown, matching the boots on his feet.
To the right was a demon nearly as tall as Lucian, standing bent over the table with his hands placed on its surface. He was particularly pale and seemed to have an almost light blue undertone to his skin. His eyes were silver and his hair was extremely long and white, which shimmered in the light of the glow orbs. His clothes were blue, trimmed with silvers and golds, and they draped languidly over his thin but muscular frame.
The conversation stopped as Nire entered the room. Both demons turned to face her. The horned one stood from his seat, and the pale one straightened himself.
“My Lady,” Alastor began, gesturing to his left. “This is Lord Elial, of the Northern Quadrant.” Then, gesturing to his right. “This is Lord Seophan, of the Western Quadrant.” Both demons nodded their heads in her direction. “Lords Seophan and Elial, this is Lady Nire, High Lord Lucian’s betrothed.” Nire felt the blood rushing to her face.
“A pleasure, My Lady,” the white haired demon spoke in a smooth and rolling tone, his voice gliding across the air like waves rolling in from the sea.
“And mine,” the other added, with a much rougher voice that reminded Nire of tumbling rocks.
Nire wasn’t exactly sure if she was supposed to say anything or not. She smiled and bowed her head slightly, as they had done before.
“Lucian is in the Depths then?” Seophan directed his attention to Alastor.
“He is,” Alastor responded. “Azael managed to do a generous amount of damage. Lady Nire was the last to speak with him.”
“I see,” the Lord of the West said.
Elial had returned to his seat. “Then perhaps you have more information than we,” he began, speaking directly to Nire. “We have all been aware of the growing tensions between the South and East, and this event, while unexpected, certainly came as no surprise. However, in my last speaking with Lucian he was still unsure what his course of action would be upon the possibility of removing Azael from power. I believe he has little choice in the matter now. Has he come to a solution that you are aware of?”
