Chapter Text
Crimson hued light flooded through the corridor, teal glowing eyes cutting through the darkness like knives. The heavy clack of heels echoed behind the woman as she walked, a somewhat lighter presence trailing behind her.
“You understand what I’m asking of you, don’t you?”
Dark sea-foam curls bounced in response, the red lights reflecting against the younger woman’s eyes as she responded.
“Of course.”
“You have served me for many years, and you haven’t disappointed me as of late. Your battle skills are inferior to almost none in my army, and I consider you to be a trusted ally.”
“Thank you, your Majesty.”
Her head bobbed in gratitude from the compliment.
Pitch black nails wrapped around pale, veiny skin as they shook the object of their abuse. The subject awoke quickly, being unused to such treatment at the early hours of the morning. A waning crescent still hung outside, occasionally obscured by passing clouds. Droplets of moonlight fell over the shoulders of two women and a small child sitting up in bed. He looked towards his mother with drowsy eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness. From what he could tell, his mother wasn’t alone. Yet another woman stood behind her, cloaked in the lack of light.
“My son.” His mother, a beautiful woman with emerald eyes and long, messy-looking black hair leaned down next his bed, re-placing her hand on his shoulder. “Happy fifth birthday.” She smiled coyly, like a cat pawing at a mouse. Her son smiled shakily in her presence, the darkness only having increased her natural intimidation.
Clawed digits trailed up his neck and into his hair, ruffling the messy noire strands. “I have a birthday present for you.” His mother’s grin only seemed to broaden with the newly revealed information, causing a slight shiver to roll down her child’s back.
Lifting a free hand, the queen leisurely gestured towards the woman behind her. The prince’s eyes now registering into the darkness clearly; she appeared to have a nicely curved figure, with a chest nearly as filled as his mother’s. Curly strands of what appeared to be a dark, greenish blue hair lay against her back, reaching down to the beginning of her spinal cord. A gloved hand wrapped in leather raised itself to flick it’s wrist towards him in a friendly greeting. “Ah, Prince Yuta, isn’t it? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ll be your from now on.” By the way her teeth glinted against the moonlight, she must have been smiling. Her voice wasn’t particularly soothing or pleasant, but rather sounded very strong despite lacking a gruffness one would have imagined to accompany such a voice.
The sleepy child gave a stiff nod, waving his hand back at her before finding himself dosing off. He could’ve sworn he heard a charming laugh as he fell away into the confines of sleep.
He had no clue back then. No idea that the hazy, green haired woman would haunt him for the rest of his life. Just the slightest of touches would cause butterflies to rise from the darkest dread boiling in his stomach.
When he was but a child, she would save him from nightmares. Cooing the sweetest of words into his fearful little head.
When he was a teenager, she would be in the dreams themselves, her gifted figure caressing him in scenes which made most of the blood in his body rush to his head.
As king, he would awake to her call; any drowsiness being washed away by the minuscule thought of seeing her lovely features.
She was a knight greater than no other.
A woman who could be mistaken for a goddess.
And a lover who made him ache for her mere presence.
Of course, this small child didn’t know that. He didn’t have the tiniest shred of what could resemble a clue. To him, she was undoubtedly yet another mirage, or sleight of hand placed by his mother.
Someone to hopefully be discarded.
Loneliness was his only friend, despite how he loathed it so. Every wooden sword and occasional meeting with his half siblings would simply have to fill the gap it left in his pitch black heart, pumping a fowl bile inherited from his mother.
These plans were foiled, however. Unlike his mother or siblings, this woman was a constant in his life. Dark nights to hellish days, his knight would be beside him.
When his very own father had placed a blade to his neck; this woman asked him if it was alright to behead him.
This woman took him to the funeral despite his mother’s wishes.
She endured the curses of saints, and the brutality of storms to be by him.
To allow her back to take every scar that was meant to be his.
Her name was Leez, and if any were to ask, she was his might.
His strength, his passion, his judgement. All of them belonged to her, because she was them.
Never could he imagine himself without her. Simply because he wouldn’t be where he was without her.
. . . . . But.
He didn’t know this yet.
Because he was just a small, skinny boy curling back into his bed after being awoken in the wee hours of the morning.
Just a child, unknowing of the cruelties and grotesque realities his kingdom would face.
A tiny little prince, drifting off to dreamland, only to remember the woman’s presence when he would awaken to see her head laying on the end of his bed.
All of this important information, about the most important female in his life, did not belong to him just yet.
Which mean, it would simply have to take place.
Every event would have to unfold like an endless trail of dominos that fell too fast for his big gray eyes to follow.
Yes, the little prince would simply have to learn some patience for him to realize; the moment this particular woman had walked into his bedroom, he hadn’t been alone since.