Unity By Spilt Blood (A Short Play)

Act One, Scene Three

Xavien: (enters Royal courtyard) Sister, what are you doing?

Viktoria: Why brother, I am cleaning my blade.

Xavien: (heavy sigh) And why must you do that? We have no need.

Viktoria: We meet with the Wolves in two weeks. You would be a fool to think I'd show up with no weapon.

Xavien: I and Alpha Nokamiss have agreed to bring no weapons to the summit.

Viktoria: You agree to a fool's meet while I refuse to endanger us. (sheaths sword)

Xavien: I have nothing but respect for your ways, Sister. Although, I must proclaim that we need not worry about the Wolves and their Alpha's intentions.

Viktoria: (chuckles exhaustedly) Tell me, Brother. Tell me how you can trust such rugged creatures?

Xavien: There are things that not even you are ready to learn just yet, Sister.

Viktoria: Ah, I see. I've never known you to keep secrets. Our King is a Vampire after all.

Xavien: I mean no offense.

Viktoria: No? You keep a secret of an alliance that could mean our extinction. The rest of our people bear no use knowing the finer details, though I? I have just as much claim to the throne as you. I deserve to know-

Xavien: You gave up the throne! It was you who rallied the Vampires to fight against our father. It was you who picked the crown off the floor and placed it atop my head. And so I bear the title and the crown; not you.

Viktoria: (laughs) We both know that I would not have lasted on the throne. We all know of the corruption which occurs behind our Court's doors but to see it, be a part of it, and ignore it would be an act of treason. I wish not be a part of it. I am a warrior; we know this.

Xavien: That I do, Sister. (deep sigh) If I were to tell you about the reason for this truce, I may lose more than just support... I may lose you.

Viktoria: Oh, folly. I have bear witness to your most monstrous dealings.

Xavien: Viktoria, you need promise to listen, and understand, and be thoughtful.

Viktoria: (scrunches face in confusion) Brother?

Xavien: It was not but a few months ago when I and Alpha Nokamiss met for the first time. Purely coincidental, we had thought. I was out on a hunting trip, she the same. If one were to ask where our guards were to be, we'd both say we needed a breath. To rule a species is hard work, Sister. We had not realized at first what that scent meant because both of us hadn't smelt it before. And when we touched, a spark that our kind usually does not feel, was shot through my veins and into my non beating heart.

Viktoria: (pacing abruptly halts) No, Brother. Say that I have misconstrued what I hear today.

Xavien: Your ears do not betray you. (a deep breath) I and Alpha Nokamiss are fated.

Viktoria: (a growl) How can you do this! You betray the trust of our people! Does the years of pain and suffering that those beasts have caused truly mean nothing to you?! Alpha Nokamiss' own grandmother killed our mother! (scoffs) No one will stand with this. Not when there is none in our species who has not lost at the hands of paws.

Xavien: I can not control who the goddess destined me to, Viktoria.

Viktoria: Is that meant to console? How can we stay loyal to our King when he beds the enemy?

Xavien: The Wolves are not our enemy, Sister! They never were! Through searching ancient texts, from both the Wolves and Vampires, there is nothing to be found on why our hate began. We can live peacefully.

Viktoria: I- I can't do this, Brother. I need time. (back away towards garden)

Xavien: Time is your friend, Sister. I can only hope you come to realize what I have proclaimed to you be the truth.

Viktoria: (shakes head) Truth is void in war, Brother. Let it be known that the goddess is perfect, for if she weren't, our lives be damned. (exits courtyard)

END OF ACT ONE, SCENE THREE.