Memoirs: A BWWM Fantasy/Sci-Fi Collection

IV. Warrior Princess (Pt. 2 of 2)

I opened my mouth multiple times, reaching for something, anything to say as I looked up into the corrupted face of the man I loved; but nothing came of it. All I could do was fight back the tears as a ripple of cruel mirth began in Viroc-Gerith's throat, causing him to tilt back his head and roar with echoing laughter.

"Yes... yes!" he bellowed as he looked back down to leer at me. "This is what I missed most as I wasted away in that realm of nothingness! To drink the despair of you mortal insects once more, to feel your agony as the last spark of hope is snuffed out before your eyes; that is what I desired most of all!"

Lashra Viri waddled forward on her knees, rapture on her face as her grimy nails scraped the cold tile. Her breath came in shallow bursts, eyes alight with longing.

"And me, great one! You desired to see your most faithful servant as well!"

Viroc's malicious glee melted away all at once, and Gerith's face scrunched with hatred as he turned down to Viri. Her elation faltered as Viroc hissed.

"Stupid girl; did you really think I wished to make you my consort? That I, greatest of the Fell Lords, would stoop to join you in the filth of humanity?! That I, magnificent and terrible above all my brethren, would be chained to you?!"

"Now would be a very good time to put me down, Viri." Aryx whispered as she began scooting away from Viroc. "If he's not in the mood for romance, I doubt he'll take threats to his wellbeing with any manner of kindness."

Viri leapt up, tossing Aryx aside as she ran through the legion of ghost knights. But her dark master would not be denied, and the knights transformed into swirling green mist to lash around her throat and pull her back to Viroc's feet. I took a tentative step towards Aryx, only for more mist tendrils to lash around my wrists and ankles, forcing me to watch as Viroc stood over his former servant.

"G-great one!" Viri said, trembling with fear and awe. "I-I only wished to-!"

Viroc reached a hand out, and Viri stiffened as a shining white orb floated from her chest and into Gerith's body. Viri collapsed to the ground, eyes glassy and still as Viroc growled in malevolent satisfaction.

"Presumptuous mortal! Soon all shall bow their knees to me; why would I waste my time on one so brainless and feeble as you, Lashra Viri?!"

Gerith's searing green eyes swiveled over to me, and my heart clenched at the wicked smile that parted his pouting lips.

"But you are neither brainless nor feeble, princess of Narkea." Viroc said as he walked Gerith closer. "Yes... your precious Gerith has many memories of your strength and cunning, feats that even the Seven Glorious Ones would applaud."

He stretched out Gerith's hand, and mist propelled Aryx into his hand, where he trembled with a metallic clinking as Viroc laughed.

"But in the end, you are nothing more than a mortal. A little girl who ran away from home because mommy and daddy said you were unfit to rule."

"Shut up." I said, pushing down the old memory of standing in the shadows as my parents lavished queenly gifts on my elder sister. "That's not true!"

"Or maybe it's because all their love went to another, and you were ignored?"

"Shut up!" I screamed, tears leaking from my eyes as I recalled being shut out of the room as my parents fussed over my newborn younger sister.