Hallow King

Promise of Peace

"My father still hasn't woken up," Leiah confessed, chewing on the side of her finger as she rested her other hand on her black garments. "I don't want to think anything bad, but I'm terrified Hallow. What if he's very ill? I must take him to a doctor."

The king polished the metal on his curved boots with a spare rag, wiping away what looked like dried blood. "A doctor? Why didn't you say so before? I know an excellent one who would be more than delighted to tend to your father."

Leiah's head perked up, and she leaned forward at the edge of her seat, "Please call them quick. I'll be eternally grateful."

Hallow liked it when humans begged, especially Leiah. It made him feel much more proud of himself. "Very well! I'll make sure Doctor Death arrives here before dinner."

"Doctor Death? That name doesn't sound very nice."

"Ohoho, dont let his name fool you! He is very skilled in whatever it is he does. Why, I've asked for his service before and he has always produced gory- I mean, good results." Hallow made sure to omit any details on how the "doctor" was actually a vampire who liked to open up and play with people's insides.

"If you say he's good then I trust you." Leiah confessed with an honest smile. She stood up from her chair and picked up a glass of wine resting on a table beside her. "So much has been going on since you have arrived, Hallow. I'm still finding it hard to belive this isn't a dream."

She rested her hand on the window sill before her, looking down upon the lit village down below. Monster and humans both mingled around, but she was too far away to figure out what they were doing.

Hallow made his way beside the girl, slyly placing his large hand directly on top of hers. She would have pulled away from embarrassment, but it was clear that she didnt want to. With the most serious face she could muster, Leiah casually glanced up at her morbid companion and parted her lips.

"Why do you care so much about me? We've only just met, and yet you're treating me like we're-," she paused for a short moment, laughing nervously to herself before continuing, "Like we've been lovers for a long time."

Hallow used his free claw and gently rested it against the woman's delicate cheek, going through a list of things he should say to win the woman's heart even further. "It is the universe, uniting both our souls and fufilling our destiny."

"Our destiny?" Leiah echoed, repeating the word in her head a few times before Hallow cut her off.

"Perhaps if I wore the typical skin all boring humans wear, you would feel more comfortable around me."

"No, it's not that. I just need to...find out..." Leiah stopped talking, and she began to fidget with the hem of her sleeves like a timid child. Hallow wasn't all too sure what was going on, and he bent down to get a better look at the princess's face.

"Are you well, my lovely Leiah? Have I-?"

He was cut off guard by a pair of soft lips crashing against his pumpkin forehead. Before the king had time to react, Leiah whirled away and hurried down the empty hall without a sound. All Hallow could do was watch as she vanished like a ghost, leaving him alone and at a loss for words. He placed a palm against the area she had kissed him, and the fire in his skull suddenly went dim.

It was the first time Hallow wasn't sure how to react to such an unexpected act, and that made him feel baffled with himself. He cleared his throat loudly, marching away from where Leiah had run off to.

It would be best for the both of them to have some time alone, he thought. The princess was most likely fretting over what she had done, and he wouldnt know what to say to calm her down. Besides, it was like Catarina had said before. He needed to be patient and make Leiah believe that all he wanted was peace and harmony for everyone currently in the kingdom. If he continued pushing her for a response to his proposal, she would surely realize that something wasn't right. The lives of his citizens relied on her approving and giving herself over to him. If he made one mistake, everything would be finished.