The Darkness

Serafina sat at her desk overlooking the complaints of her kingdom. People were demanding answers as to why their friends and family were dying randomly. She sighed and gripped her hair in frustration. She wished she had answers for them but she knew just as much as they did. Something terrible for a ruler.

She set the paper she was reading down and organised them. She had the pile for the matters she would deal with by public announcement, those she would see to herself, and those in which she would appoint someone to see to- the biggest pile being the public announcements. Once she had finished with those, she made her way to her room. The Dark ball would begin in less than an hour and neither Kai nor Serafina were ready.

She took a hot bath and dressed herself in a red velvet dress and black heels, not wanting to be too dressed up for the Dark Queen. This would be the first time she would be known to the Dark Fae as Queen of Hel and although they’ve had countless encounters with the Queen, they never knew of Serafina’s title. The Dark Family knew her all too well, and that was precisely why she didn’t want to attend this ball.

Kai met Serafina in the main hall where the main portal was. Both stood before it, not wanting to enter. They nodded at each other as encouragement and stepped through being teleported outside of the Dark castle.

“I hate these balls, they’re filled with Fae who would murder their own child if it meant riches and power,” Kai commented as they walked up the stairs to the main door.

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Muttered Serafina.

“Queen Serafina and Prince Kai of Hel have arrived,” The doorman announced to the crowed. People turned and stared at the two having never seen them before. They had heard rumours about the Queen who didn’t gain the throne like the Dark and Light Fae monarchs did, but instead, through more gruesome means. While both Dark and Light alike entertain the idea that the monarch should be blood related or even have the previous monarch appoint the next as their successor, those in Hel did it a little differently. In Hel if you weren’t blood related then you could secure the throne by killing the current reigning monarch if someone does not assassinate the monarch then they could pass the crown down to the prince or princess. The Queen or Kings children did not automatically become princes and princesses but instead had to be given the title through a coronation.

Prince Kai was a different story because he had not yet had his actual coronation but Serafina did publicly announce that his coronation would happen.

The two mingled for a while, entertaining the Dark Queen as to not anger her but still stayed on guard in case she tried to pull something.

The Dark Queen was manipulative and liked to play games, to put it lightly. Serafina could only believe this was another one of her games and normally those games didn’t end until someone was dead. As Serafina talked with the other guest, she could feel the Dark Family’s eyes on her.

The Dark Family consisted of Lamia- the Dark Queen’s predecessor, Maekus- Lamia’s husband- and Hali, the Dark Queen. Some people within the Dark whispered that there used to be another daughter in the Dark Family but no one has really even seen her, allowing people to believe it was just a rumour.

The Dark Queen beckoned one of her servants to deliver a message to the Hel Queen. The servant did as what Hali had ordered them to do and found Serafina, telling her that the Dark Queen wished to speak to Serafina and the Prince.

The two walked to the Dark Queen’s throne, making sure they showed utterly no emotion as not to give the enemy queen a weakness to hold over them. Kai and Serafina were both very emotional creatures, and their emotions caused them to be great rulers.

“Ah, Serafina it has really been too long,” The Dark Queen smiled at Serafina, stepping off of her throne.

Serafina saw right past the Dark Queen’s facade and said, “Is there a reason you invited me here, Queen Hali?”

“I figured it was time we set aside our divergence and become allies. This hatred that has brewed between my kingdom and yours is really preventing us to move forward as people.”

“Allies? Have you forgotten what your people did to mine?” Serafina asked, baffled by the Dark Queen’s assumption that the Hel Fae would just forget about 3,000 years of hate and security.

“Your people? I remember when your people used to be those in this room,” The Dark Queen whispered, leaning over Serafina.

“That was a long time ago,” Serafina growled, “And I learned that dealing with the Dark gets you nothing but a knife in your back.”

The Dark Queen giggled, feeling the hatred rolling off the other queen, “Is your hatred for me clouding you so much that you refuse to do what’s good for your people?”

“Do you think I would be here if I wasn’t thinking of my people? And it is because of my people I can firmly decline your offer.” Serafina said firmly. She turned around, ready to leave the party.

“Even if it means turning down the chance to find whoever is controlling the mark?” Serafina stopped and the Dark Queen walked into her. Serafina could feel her anger taking over her and found it best to leave before she did something terrible.

“Serafina?” Kai cautiously approached the fuming queen carefully, knowing that a mad Serafina could end up killing the entire human population. Her head snapped towards him and the look in her eyes let him know he had to get her out of there. He grabbed her hand and led her outside, opening a portal back to the Hel castle.

When they were back in their realm, they decided that the best way for Serafina to let her anger out was for her to train. They grabbed their usual weapons- an electric whip for Serafina and a sword for Kai.

Unlike their usual training, he blocked out all source of light leaving them to fight in complete darkness.

She ducked suddenly when he swung his sword over her head, almost cutting it clean off, “You’re fighting dirty today.”

Serafina swung the whip in his direction, strand of electricity letting her know she had missed him by an inch. They played this game for an hour before deciding that it was getting her nowhere in calming her rage.

They ditched their weapons and were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Kai aimed for Serafina’s neck–one of her weaker spots–and, thankfully, she could block it but he grabbed her arm and bent it in an angle that arms shouldn’t go in.

She growled in pain and punched him in the face, using all of her strength to knock him back. While he was down, she healed her arm and then walked over to him, stepping on his chest.

“I win,” She declared, breathless.

Kai’s eyebrows rose, he grabbed her leg and yanked it causing her to fall on her ass. She looked at him and pushed herself up, “If you thought you would win you thought wrong, little brother.”

He laughed and rolled over to his water bottle, “I give. I take it you feel better.”

She nodded and grabbed her water bottle and sat on the bench, “I can’t believe I used to call that evil bitch my family.”

“What happened between you and the Dark Queen?” Kai asked. The question had been plaguing him from the moment he learned about Serafina’s and Hali’s relation, yet he never had the courage to ask her why.

She sighed, “She stabbed me in the back-literally.”

“Why?”

“That would be a story for another day, little brother,” She said ruffling his hair and walking out of the training room to shower.

She let the water run and took the time it heated to examine the scar on her back, the eternal mark etched into her skin by none other than the Dark Queen-her sister.

She refused to allow herself to remember the day that created the scar. Swearing she would never allow it to suck her back into her past. She was no longer that Serafina and the old her would remain in the metaphorical coffin she was in.

She finished showering and dressed in her nightwear, drained from being in the same room as the Dark Family. In her dream she was standing in a field of beautiful white flowers, a breeze blowing against her white dress.

She felt safe and at home within the field as if she could live there forever. But then a dark cloud came in from her right with harsh winds. The clouds of rain stained the beautiful flowers a blood-red and she no longer felt safe.

She ran, knowing there was something in the storm that held anger towards her. But no matter how fast she ran she could never outrun the powerful storm. Something caught her leg and tripped her, causing her to fall to the hard ground. She turned her head to look at what had tripped her only to see herself, dead and covered in blood. She let out an ear-piercing scream at the bloody image and jolted out of her bed, waking up in a cold sweat.

One of her maids came into her room with a look of fear on her face, “My queen, are you okay?”

“Yes, Alia, please do not worry,” She assured the elderly maid. The other woman came in and looked her over, putting her hand on the queen’s forehead and pulling away quickly.

“Oh dear, you’re covered in the terror sweat,” She observed, “Would you like some warm milk with honey.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She nodded, pushing her hair out of her face. The maid bowed and left the queen’s bed chambers. While Alia was grabbing her milk Serafina spent the time trying to calm her heart which felt like it would beat out of her chest.

Serafina grabbed her silk robe and put it on before opening her balcony door. She welcomed the cool breeze the city brought as the sun rose. She looked out onto the city of Hel which she called now home, absently scratching at the inside her wrist. She ended up scratching a little too hard and cut her skin with her nails.

“Ah,” She hissed and lifted her arm up to look at the red flesh and freezing at what she saw. The Celtic knot of Life, tattooed in black and red- almost glowing- on her inner wrist.

She was marked.